Marie Osmond Tells Oprah About Son's Suicide (VIDEO)

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CHICAGO - Marie Osmond tells Oprah Winfrey her son's suicide was "probably the hardest thing" she's been through.

In quotes provided Wednesday by Harpo Productions, Osmond says it was a "calculated decision" for her to return to work within weeks of her son's death because the "stage is my safe place."

Osmond says she "knew that if I didn't get back on stage that I may never get back on stage."

The episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" will air Thursday.

Osmond's son, 18-year-old college student Michael Bryan, jumped from the eighth floor of an apartment building in Los Angeles in February. The coroner ruled the death suicide.

Osmond and her brother, Donny, took a brief break from their Las Vegas show before returning with a teary tribute to Bryan in March.

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Comments

[Theatrixnyc]

10:38 AM on 11/12/2010

I watched the show yesterday, and it was one of Oprah's best produced of the entire series, and I'll tell you why: Marie Osmond. She was so open, and honest, and giving, and sharing of her life, her love for her son, and their family's loss, I was pretty much speechless. I felt bad for every tabloid reporter that ever wrote a word, trying to assume her family's problems, and adding to her pain with that speculation, and public scrutiny. The shame of false projection, for a buck. And yet, true to Marie's character, she rose above it, pulled her family around her tighter, and is still able to give. She's a lot more centered and pulled together than anyone, ever, gave her credit for. Have a whole new respect for her, and her family.

[makemesmile]

10:43 PM on 11/11/2010

I used to watch the Donny and Marie Show years ago and I enjoyed it very much. I didn't realize that Marie could sing as beautifully as she did today on the Oprah show. A loss of a child is always very sad no matter how the child dies.

[Jerome Morrow]

02:07 PM on 11/11/2010

I couldn't even imagine something like that.

[ksmms]

11:16 AM on 11/11/2010

My heart goes out to all parents who've lost a child to major depression. I've been there with my child in the hospital. Fortunately, he lived but the struggle to regain health has been a long journey. I think God for every single day we have him. No parent should ever have to suffer the agony of losing a child to suicide. The pain is just unbearable.

[twinskids]

07:00 PM on 11/11/2010

I am so glad that you were able to help your child recover. I am sure it was the most painful thing for your family to deal with.

[awarg]

10:34 AM on 11/11/2010

I'm so glad that Marie is talking about her son's suicide. Allowing people in will not only help her to express her feelings, but will give awareness of this horrible disease. Depression not only affects the person, but everyone around them. Helping others will help her and her family to cope. Thank you, Marie. My prayers are with you.

[ChaCubed]

10:24 AM on 11/11/2010

Terribly, terribly sad.

I know most people see suicide as something separate from other deaths, but I see it as a person succumbing to a disease: depression is a disease which can and does kill people in many ways, suicide is just one of them.

[Theatrixnyc]

11:55 AM on 11/11/2010

and we're a Prozac nation....everyone should be paying attention. Especially so, if you have children.

[wwoody]

10:08 AM on 11/11/2010

A parent worst nightmare, a parent should never have to bury their children never ever . My heart go out to her and her family.

[HankyJoe]

09:48 AM on 11/11/2010

Terribly sad.

[eleanorhawking]

09:29 AM on 11/11/2010

I could not watch the clip. I send her all my love, support and condolences.

[ipresumelikely]

09:26 AM on 11/11/2010

Marie radiates kindness

[PowerPridePinstripes]

08:09 AM on 11/11/2010

I couldn't imagine... -- so many unanswered questions she must have. Jeez.

[georgecarlin1776]

06:59 AM on 11/11/2010

I deeply feel for you Marie. We have lost a lot of really good people to suicide. It amazes me how young and beautiful Marie still appears to be.

[Faxus]

06:53 AM on 11/11/2010

I love Marie, she's a champ.

[alanposting]

04:40 AM on 11/11/2010

What I wanted to say was not praise on how wonderful this Mormon family is, so i know it would not get through the moder..... so why spend the time.

[ChaCubed]

10:44 AM on 11/11/2010

I am totally free of religious beliefs, and there are many religious beliefs with which I don't agree and freely voice my disagreement, but taking advantage of this woman's heartache to voice your opinion on her religion is vile: as vile as when mainstream-religious-people took advantage of John Travolta's grief to voice their disapproval of Scientology. Utterly despicable, IMO.

I hope you will rethink your reason for not posting your opinions on this Mormon family here, alan.

[pbnyc59]

11:43 AM on 11/11/2010

Her son was gay, her church clearly disapproved and that played a part in his death. As for Travolta, his cult bans the medical treatment that could have saved his child's life. When any religion stands in the way of a child's psychical or mental health child services should step in.

You should rethink your own post.

[Hooty owl]

03:37 AM on 11/11/2010

This is the first time an Oprah preview has ever made me cry.

[Theatrixnyc]

12:01 PM on 11/11/2010

I taped yesterdays show, thinking it was on then. It was instead Oprah with all of her former competition, bestowing praise upon the Queen while she pondered outloud to them, "So....whatever happened to all of you....?" Very strange. Joan Rivers wasn't there either...She won an Emmy for her talk show.

[ontariogirl]

12:25 PM on 11/11/2010

I don't watch Oprah much but I did see the one with the 200 men that were abused. I cried through the whole show. Don't think I could get through this one though.