Alexa Ray Joel hospitalized after possible suicide attempt

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This is a really sad story if the reports are even half-way true. It seems that on Saturday, the 23 year old daughter of Christie Brinkley and Billy Joel, Alexa Ray Joel, was rushed to the hospital. First reports indicated that it was a possible drug overdose, and that Alexa’s roommate was the one to call the ambulance. The New York Post (and other sources) claimed Alexa took a “large number” of over-the-counter sleeping pills in a possible suicide attempt. While she was was being hospitalized overnight (on Saturday), Alexa’s publicist said that Alexa was in stable condition and she was receiving treatment, and “We are currently assessing her needs.”

An insider claims that Billy Joel was “freaking out” and that Billy believes that Alexa was under an enormous amount of stress with his divorce from Katie Lee and Christie’s divorce from Peter Cook. The insider said: “Alexa Ray has had a horrible few years. She’s been put in the middle of her mother and stepfather’s nasty divorce, and her father’s split as well. She’s only 23. It’s really hard on someone at that age. She’s always been torn and made to choose sides. It’s very sad. Regardless of what Christie [Brinkley] says, she was close with Peter Cook, and her dad’s divorce just devastated her. She and Katie Lee were really close friends. She’s had a lot to deal with for someone so young.”

Another working theory, from sources speaking to People Magazine, is Alexa that “was apparently distraught over an argument with her boyfriend.” Local New York outlets have Alexa and her boyfriend breaking up, not just an argument. People’s source also claims that Alexa didn’t take sleeping pills, but rather Traumeel, a “homeopathic medication.” Some sources also have Alexa (rather than her roommate) placing the 911 call, this time because Alexa “became worried about breathing.” Alexa has also vented about men and dating on her MySpace page, but that piece of information doesn’t sound all that shocking.

Also, there’s a lot being made of Alexa’s music career and how it might be a factor in what might be a suicide attempt (I’m sticking with “I don’t know for sure what this was”). Alexa told People Magazine last year: “I can get very dark. I can get very in my own head and depressed as many other artists can.” Alexa released an EP in 2006 and she debuted a new song, “Invisible” this year. She was scheduled to perform this week in New York – one of the gigs was even the New York Stock Exchange tree lighting.

Alexa was released Sunday afternoon, but the report doesn’t indicate whether she left in the care of her mother or a friend or anything. They do note that Billy Joel stayed in Long Island during the hospital stay, but that he was communicating with Christie throughout. I hope Alexa goes and stays with her mom or dad, rather than returning to her apartment. Whatever happened, I think this girl just needs a serious break from the world, and just to spend some time laying low and recuperating.

Alexa Ray Joel pictured in New York on June 18, 2009. Credit: Fame

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31 Responses to “Alexa Ray Joel hospitalized after possible suicide attempt”

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  1. Ophelia says:

    I hope she gets better. She always seemed like a sweet kid. I used to read her blog and she’s so much more articulate than what you’d expect from the offspring of two really famous people.

  2. Tess says:

    Very sad.

    Hope she can sort through all the pain and find reasons to go on with her life.

    The children, especially the oldest child, of selfish, self-centered parents often pay a high price for their parents’ disfunctional lifestyles.

  3. Dolkite says:

    her father has a history of depression and has attempted suicide at least once. Early in his career, he drank a bottle of furniture polish but was luckily rescued by a friend.

  4. lway says:

    Shame 🙁 Hope she’ll be okay

  5. Firestarter says:

    Poor thing! I hope she gets better! Terrible to be that depressed that you think suicide is the only answer.

  6. Ursula says:

    Parents can be so selfish when dealing with break and not realise the impact it has on their kids. Reading this, I feel really bad for her. I do hope though that she goes slow on those prescribed meds, they can kill you if you are not carefully.

  7. sarah says:

    This is really sad. I can’t imagine the divorces were that much of a factor – this is her mom’s 4th divorce. It seems like the relationship between Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley is very solid. They divorced 20 years ago, but they’ve maintained a “friendship” and raise their kids together. I find it very unsettling that Billy didn’t go to the hospital to be with his daughter. I hope she’s ok.

  8. dude says:

    i never think she looks very cute..but she looks very pretty in both of these pictures! Wish you a speedy recover Alexa!

  9. MeMyself says:

    Thia young lady is so beautiful!
    Not in the conventional mode which makes her even more special.

    Hope she is well.

  10. diva says:

    She has grown prettier as she has gotten older, it must be hard for her having a mom who looks like Christie Brinkley and she takes after her father. She obviously suffers from depression, so with good medication and therapy she will recover. I’m sure Christie will get her the best doctors and care, she always seemed like a very involved parent.

  11. Kimberly says:

    Am i the only one pissed that he decided to stay in L.I. , because he “didn’t want to cause a circus ” with the crazy press !

    bullshit , when your flesh and blood is hurt in the hospital to that kind of extent you disregard anything and everything that is going on and just be by your daughters side .I don’t think this helps with with Alexa depending on how she takes that .

    come on man .

  12. Kelly says:

    So this is what self-absorbed parenting hath wrought. From the mom’s questionable taste in men to the dad’s questionable taste in women, you just get the sense that they were making all these horrible decisions without taking their daughter into account. I dunno what happened, but the carefully couched phrases — “assessing her needs” — indicate some psychological basis to the medical issue. Unfortunately, her parents should been more attentive to her about 15 years ago.

  13. It wasn’t a suicide attempt because they wouldn’t have let her go the next day. That’s a 72 hour minimum stay. Also, they news this morning say she took 8 pills. That’s not really alot.

  14. Velvet_Julie says:

    What a sad story. If random people have a hard time finding their right place in the world, celebrity kids have even more dificulties to find their real identity, because society in general puts a lot of pressure for them to take over their parents. In Alexa’s case, there is a certain cruelty from the press towards her, because she apparently didn’t get the best of two worlds: she’s neither gorgeous as mother Christie and neither very talented as father Joel. Personally, I agree with their point of view, but I think they should let the girl do her business in peace. She’s not bothering anyone. There’s no need to be so openly catty. Not finding the girl a big deal is one thing. Other thing is to put that on paper… (I’ve read so many bitchy articles criticizing her looks and music…)
    Now I wonder, their parents left her alone? I mean, they didn’t even go to the hospital?
    Anyway, I hope she’ll be ok. No man or bitchy comment is worth someone’s life.

  15. nj says:

    Oh Alexa. You have a huge life ahead of you. Don’t despair over some guy who is too old for you anyway. With all of your gifts and you ARE beautiful, you have it all ahead of you. You probably think 23 is old- honey, its NOT. You are still a baby. Take some time to get it together and heal. You have too much to do and you cannot throw it away. If we all gave up over the jerk we thought we loved at 23, it would be a very sad and empty world.

  16. atticus says:

    I’m really struck by how gorgeous she looks in these pictures. @diva – I always thought that, too – how much it’d suck to have a supermodel mom but not get any of those looks. I have always thought, too, that she seemed like a really sensible, mature person. I guess I never realized how young she still is and how much she’s dealt with in 23 short years. Hope she is ok.

  17. wow says:

    I’m sure she’ll be fine.

    But where the heck are her parents. Don’t they BOTH still live on Long Island? Its not that long of a trip, and even if it were – this is your child.

    Christie always seemed sort of self-centred so I guess her not being there wshouldn’t be a surprise. But her Father? I’m really shocked by that – plus sorry Billy, but your presence would hardly cause an uproar. Not in NY, honey.

  18. Embee says:

    I got the impression that CB was at the hospital and relaying messages to BJ?

    I hope she’s ok on every level…there’s a luminosity to this girl that I find endearing.

  19. anyhoo says:

    I think Alexa is GORGEOUS! She has really grown into her looks–so pretty!

  20. birdie says:

    @ dread pirate … where does it say she was released? I thought it said she was still hospitalized but in stable condition, which would give credence to the claims of attempted suicide.

  21. Icecat says:

    I hope she gets well, and I wish her and her family the best.

    AND…I really hope PIGEZ HILTON feels fucking horrible for bashing on about her looks on his webiste. That, along with the bashing of Adam Sandlers little girl, are two of the main reasons I quit that bitch!!!!

    BOYCOTT PEREZ!!

  22. Lantana says:

    Why would she be upset about her parents divorces? Between Christie and Billy how many marriages have there been? 7 or 8? It’s not like she’s 23 and her parents in a 30 year marriage are divorcing. My guess is she’s on the Rx drug train and it got out of hand. And if her roommate hadn’t been there to call 911 she’d either be dead, or no one would have ever found out about it. The real clue would be the suicide note. (If that was indeed her intent.) And I haven’t heard of them finding one. So chalk one up to stupid.

  23. hatsumomo says:

    This girl is only one year younger than me and I find it hard to believe she tried to kill herself over her parents failed multiple marriages to other people. Jesus, people, the chick is 23 not 9. Something in the milk aint clean about this.
    Frankly, I would better believe she’s depressed over her career options, she’s trying to have a Hollywood career, but A) doesn’t have her supermodel mom’s looks and B) doesn’t have her father’s singing/songwriting talent. I think this girl would benefit greatly if she went back to school and got some therapy. And get clean if she’s on something…..

  24. jaundicemachine says:

    Poor pumpkin. I really hope that she can begin to see her value in the next upcoming months. Depression is no joke.

    Wishing her and her loved ones all the best.

  25. Kathleen says:

    Alexa Joel has one of those breathtakingly beautiful faces from the ancient world. So what do you get when you cross an Uptown Girl with the Piano Man? A Byzantine princess, that’s what. America, wake up, this is what your citizenry looks like; the blending and re-blending of dark with light, north with south, east meets west. And as a 52 year old “Happa” product of divorce, I can tell you that the pain of it never goes away. Ever. Hang in there, Alexa.

  26. Cojo says:

    Dread Pirate, she could have been released from a medical standpoint but transferred to a psych facility. The poor girl is lovely and has so much going for her. Unfortunately depression doesn’t let one see the positive only the negative. I hope she gets properly treated for her condition.

    I stopped reading Perez when he started calling her ugly and then mocked her when she wrote about it on her blog. I refuse to give that creature any traffic. He’s disgusting in so many ways. Micheal K shows that one can be bitchy and funny without being cruel. Perez doesn’t have enough talent to walk that line.

  27. You Go Girl says:

    Maybe the selfish, self absorbed celebs of the world could take time out and think of their kids for a change. The Tiger Woods, the Jordans, the Pamela Andersons, absolute freaks of parents. Many of them with their addictions are ruining their children.

  28. Anastasia says:

    My God but she’s gorgeous. I really hope she’s ok!

  29. Kate says:

    What a beautiful girl. I wish you peace and healing.

  30. Codzilla says:

    I love her smile — it lights up her whole face! Hang in there, Alexa. You’re beautiful, smart, poised, and just about everything most celebrity kids ARE NOT.

  31. ViktoryGin says:

    Even though, it’s obvious that she isn’t what people consider prototypically pretty I always thought that she looked so incredibly pretty in a unique way that sets her apart from people who essentially look like her mother. That’s a plus in my book for I find the blonde hair-blue eye ideal to be mundane. I haven’t heard much of her music other than a couple of songs that she performed of some late night shows, and the voice is solid. It’s better than a lot of the riff raff that’s out there, so I wish her the best.