Much-loved comedian and TV show Ellen DeGeneres recently told a heartbreaking secret about the dark past of her family. By coming out, DeGeneres hopes to encourage other people who have been through similar traumatic events to find the strength to tell their stories.
For DeGeneres, the road to fame began in the late 1970s, but it wasn’t always easy. In 1989, she got her first recurring part on the sitcom Open House. Later, she became the star of the hit show Ellen. DeGeneres was keeping a painful secret from everyone, though.
Deborah DeGeneres did something brave when she said that her dad had sexually abused her. DeGeneres was abused when she was 15 or 16 years old, right after her mother had a mastectomy for breast cancer. The diagnosis gave her dad a reason to hit her, saying he needed to “check for lumps” in her breasts.
DeGeneres hid the abuse for years because she was afraid no one would believe her. When she finally told her mother what she had done, her claims were at first brushed off. Once DeGeneres’ mother finally left her husband after many years, she finally felt like she had been right.
The fact that DeGeneres chose to talk about her terrible experience shows how brave and strong she is. She hopes that telling her story will give other people the courage to stand up to abuse and get help. Hope and healing are at the heart of DeGeneres’ message, and the fact that she is willing to talk about her painful past is a powerful reminder that we are not alone in our problems.
