Marie Osmond Talks to Oprah About Son's Suicide: 'I Knew Something Was Wrong'

By PopEater Staff Posted Nov 11th 2010 04:52PM

Nearly nine months after her son's tragic death by suicide, Marie Osmond is finally opening up about her loss. Osmond's 18-year-old son, Michael Blosil, took his own life by jumping off a Los Angeles apartment building in February. The singer, who adopted Michael with ex-husband Brian Blosil, told Oprah of the tragedy, "I've been through some tough things in my life [but] this is probably the hardest thing I've been through."

Osmond admitted to understanding her son's plight, having suffered from post-partum depression herself. One of their last conversations was telling, she says. "When I heard him say to me 'I have no friends,' it brought back when I went through depression," she said. "Because you really feel so alone."

"I said, 'Mike, I'm going to be there Monday, and it's going to be OK,' but depression doesn't wail til Monday."

Osmond painfully recalled the night that Michael died, starting with a phone call from him just as she was going on stage during her Vegas show. She said that she was going through a costume change when her phone rang. "I couldn't get to it," she admitted. Later when she called him back, he didn't pick up.

"I believe in female intuition. I especially believe in mother's intuition. I knew something was wrong."

She asked her daughter to stay with her that night in the hotel and at 2 AM the phone rang. On the other line was a security guard from her gated community. "[He] said 'there are some people here to see you. It's the police I believe' ... He said, 'well it's the coroner's office.'"

"I knew it was Michael," she said with tears streaming.

According to the police report, the time of death was around 9:30 PM. Osmond told Oprah that he called her about 45 minutes before that. "You know some particulars are so in stone, other things are just like this wave that comes in and out of your heart. I've been through some tough times in my life, Oprah. This is probably the hardest thing I've ever been through."

When asked by Oprah if she thought things would have been different if she had just spoken to Michael when he called, Osmond responded by saying, "I think if you live in 'what ifs,' you stop living."

While many media outlets have reported that Michael's suicide stemmed from the conflict between his Mormon upbringing and his reported homosexuality, Osmond denied these claims. "My son was not gay," she said. "And it wouldn't matter if he was."

She added, "I know I'll see him again because of what I believe."

She told Oprah that Blosil started abusing drugs when he was 12 and took several trips to rehab, however, she disputed any notion that narcotics played a role in his death.

"My son was clean when he jumped," she said of the teen, who was a student at L.A.'s Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. "There were no drugs in his system, but I believe that the ramifications of them were there. That was the hard part."

Blosil left a suicide note, and Osmond did her best to summarize it: "He basically said he knew that morning was the last time he would get up and brush his teeth, make his bed, those kinds of things. He had made his decision, I guess. And uh, [he wrote] that he loved his family ... The pain was so intense."

Osmond also confirmed rumors that her son had attempted suicide while she was competing on 'Dancing With the Stars' in 2007. "During that time I was going through a very public divorce. Going through custody battles ... and he received some news that something had happened to some of his family members ... and he couldn't deal with it. He promised he would never do it again."

Tags: Marie Osmond

Comments

(312)

Thursday 11 November

By Tammy

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Marie, my heart goes out to you. I suffer from depression and so do 2 of my children. It is so scary. You are a strong person and I know you will make it. Your music has always made me smile. Keep it up! That song you sang is a great way to remeber your son. God bless you.

By Lisa Boze

I never lost a child to sucide, but I did to murder. the lost of a child is the worse pain a parent can ever deal with. for people to judge someone is sad. I'm sure she feels the pain and will always carry it with her. my heart goes out to her and every parent whohas lost a child

Friday 12 November

By jessica

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i dont care what she says it is says out og grief....she just lost her son..the article starts "nearly 9 months tbe artist finally opens up"....hello people....she just lost her son...period...she juyst lost her son...who cares why really? she just lost her son she just lost her son she just lost her son she just lost her son she just lost her son......LET IT HURT BEFORE YOU INTERVIEW HER......she just lost her son.

By robin

Maybe by Marie opening up it will open up the eyes of millions of parents to be more in tune with their children and other loved one. Maybe we should she this as a preventive measure for other on her part.

By Chick Carlton

When the phone rings of the death of your son or daughter it's a moment you never forget. You flashback, you stand still in time. You try and seek answers that are not there...
I received a call like that from my mother tell me my brother was gone... It changes your life, it makes you question reality.
Marie has seen it all, the money, the fame, the pain...
They all walk hand and hand with you. She is a strong woman and her memories will never die of her son. She's all HEART.

By suzyqmamas

There is nothing anyone could have done for that poor young man if he had decided to kill himself. I lost my son --at age 31--to a heart attack. He was my only child. And no matter what--I miss him every day of my life. I only hope that Marie finds peace--somehow,someway. No matter who they are--when you loose a child--adopted or birth child--you can not make that pain go away. You only hope the pain gets easier. I hope so--for all of us who have lost children or loved ones. And if something helps her get through the day--talking on national tv or to family or friends--I am happy for her. Each day things get a little better--I will always love and miss him. I do not doubt that. I pray it gets better for Marie as well.

By julia walsh

I will pray that your faith will help you more than i have allowed mine to. I too have buried not one but two sons. i know what your going thru. it was no fault of your own. i do believe my sons are ina better place. but every day to survive this is such a challange. may god bless you and keep you all the days of your life.

By subcord

I honestly do not know why you had to put Marie through that torture! Bless her heart. It's like living it all over again having to talk about it..........ripped my heart out.

By dlj

Noone asked Marie to go thru it...she's the one that agreed to the interview....

I think the interview could have been on a more positive note instead of dragging out the painful parts of Marie's son's death. It could have been more about the good times, like when she was talking about his scrap book. Why bring up all that painful stuff? Made me sad and I do not find the pain of others entertaining.

By steve

for some reason, it hurts my heart to see marie osmond sad. i don't know her but i wish her peace and happiness.

By Norah Gilliam

Marie, I'm so sorry for your loss. Your reply of what "ifs" is so very true. I lived in what "ifs" for over 8 years. And for 13 years including the 8, I lived in self destruction. For the last 3 years, I've been sober, Have a wonderful realationship with God, Married a good man, And I want to live now. I lost my 12yr 7mos and 14day old daughter to a brutal murder 16 years ago. She was my ONLY CHILD. An Angel here on earth and now my Gaurdian Angel. I still feel as if it was yesteday. The pain don't get easier. Loniness and feeling alone in depression is so true. I lost Family (both sides) and Friends. My prayers and heart go out to you and all parents who have to go through loosing a child...

By C

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Nothing about her is real.

By Nick Mayor

Osmond says this is "probably the hardest thing I have ever been through"? What could possibly be worse? None of us were there so many of these meanspirtited posts are so insenstive to her pain. God bless her. Tragedies like this one bring a lifetime of pain.

By Billy Nay

Marie Osmond segment was to air here on kvii/tv today on Oprah, but instead Dish Network aired Oprah show about rudeness to food servers. So Amarillo TX lost out again on Oprah. Cox Cable and Direct TV are no better as far as customer service.
I know it was a good segment. Maybe we will see it in re-runs by chance, not by tv guide.

By carol

I am sympathetic for the Osmond family as I have several people close to me who have experienced such pain. The one thing I did
not agree with was exposing this on the Ophah Whifrey Show.
It seems a distasteful way of remembering her son. Oprah
does exploit to get ratings and Michael Jackson's bro's
and sisters agree with this premise.
I do not blame Marie Osmond for missing his call but dragging
his sad end onto Oprah's rating stage is a disappointment.

Sunday 14 November

By anne

I so agree wtih you. In my opinion and I have a right to one as I have buried and have mourned both of my sons, that Marie's wound is so new and fresh that she really is of no use to anyone as to how to cope. This early in the greiving process all you really know is how to survive. The rest of you who are bashing her at a time when one needs ecouragement and understanding I feel very sorry for you if something like this happens ever happens to you. In hinesight everyone thinks they know the answers to all parenting. So unless you have walked a mile in someone elses shoes I suggest you take a pause and think.

By Ron

Last thing Marie Osmond said to her son: 'Mormons can fly'

By sally

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you are sick...but I must admit it made me snicker for a half second

By Marie

Okay what happend to Marie was sad about her son.
but mike is right!!!! Knowing her son just called her
the night b-4 and said he felt like he didn't have any friends
and she told him she would be there monday. Monday was not good enough. She should have been on a plane that night. Her job
came b-4 her son.

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