Naomi Judd’s widower Larry Strickland lost his wife three years ago today. In a recent interview, Larry spoke about how the death has affected Naomi’s daughters, Wynonna and Ashley.
“They were forced together,” Larry told People. “We all had to come together around this trauma, this tragic event. And it, of course, opened our eyes about how short life can be and how fleeting. Realizing that we lost a wife and mother, it forced us to be together, whether we wanted to or not.”
The former Elvis Presley backup group singer said he and his stepdaughters were close during the early years of his and Naomi’s relationship, but the three of them have grown especially close following the death of his wife. He feels connected to Naomi through his relationship with her daughters.
Related: Naomi Judd’s Daughter Ashley Reflects on Her Death in Emotional Essay
“The fact that Naomi’s gone and Wynonna and Ashley are the main part of her that’s left, and it’s what’s still here for me to cling to and have in my life,” he said.
Naomi Judd and Larry Strickland were married for 33 years before the “Grandpa” singer’s death on April 30, 2022. The couple met in 1979 and got married a decade later on May 6, 1989.
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