Do you know what happened to Oprah Winfrey? Possibly, not! Yes, we are talking about the talk show host who is recently being on the news for her feud with Rosie O’Donnell. Well, that is not our today’s concern. Oprah Winfrey is regarded as the Queen of Talk and is one of the most powerful and brave women in the industry.
She hasn’t earned this reign overnight. Moreover, she struggled a lot in life and that is what people are curious about. What happened to her? Before that, let’s briefly discuss Oprah Winfrey’s prominence in the industry.
Oprah Winfrey rose to fame for her self-titled daytime syndicated talk show, which aired for 25 seasons. Yes, that’s The Oprah Winfrey Show. Hailing from Mississippi, she has been serving as the Chairwoman and CEO of Harpo Productions since 1986.
Being her fan, you must know that Oprah also has gotten some great acting skills. Some of her notable works are- The Color Purple, Beloved, The Butler, Selma, The Handmaid’s Tale, etc. In 2021, Oprah Winfrey published a book titled- “What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, resilience, and Healing.” You must give it a read.
Coming back to Oprah Winfrey’s tragic story, the star struggled quite a lot in her life from the very beginning. Her single teenage mother raised her and was in poverty for a long time. This was not just the end. Yes! There is a lot more. If you are looking for what happened to Oprah Winfrey, here is what we know.
Also Read: How To Watch Oprah Winfrey’s Mental Health Documentary?
The Tragic Story Of Oprah Winfrey Explained: What Happened?
Starting the discussion of Oprah Winfrey’s tragic story, the talk show host suffered from emotional and physical harassment. What? Yes, you read that right. When she was 14 years old, Oprah was molested, following which, she even ended up expecting a child, back then.
No, she didn’t opt for abortion and showed her brave nature to raise the child. It was reported that she carried a baby boy, who unfortunately was born premature and died due to infancy after a couple of weeks. Irrespective of age, how would a mother feel after losing her child? It was pathetic for Oprah Winfrey.
Talking more about it, the neighborhood surrounding where Oprah used to live with her mother and siblings was not good. In other words, it was not safe but very dangerous, especially for women. Concerning the aforesaid mentioned book, she said, “I started thinking about what happened to me in my life to make me who I am.”
Oprah Winfrey’s traumatic childhood experience helped her gain strength and become more mature at an early age. During an interview, she opened up about witnessing the cycle of violence. Little did you know, she was raised in such an ambiance where beating a child was normal.
During her childhood, Opray Winfrey suffered from harsh sexual assaults. That was way more pathetic and surely a heavy secret to carry throughout life. To be more exact, it started happening to her when the host was just nine years old. Guess what? Who did it?
It was her cousin. What? Yes! On this note, Oprah said, “He took me to an ice cream shop — blood still running down my leg — and bought me ice cream.” She was too young to understand what was happening to her and, therefore, kept it a secret for several years.
It was so traumatic that Oprah Winfrey also had suicidal thoughts in her mind. Briefly, she shared that her teenage pregnancy experience was the outcome of struggling with sexual assaults, for several years. Following these events, when it came out, many of her relatives blamed her. That was the time when Oprah felt like committing suicide. It wasn’t good.
It feels good to know that Oprah Winfrey has gained courage, strength, and power. Who stopped her? Nobody could, and nobody will. She is indeed an inspiration to many women globally.
Best Wishes! Make sure you follow Oprah Winfrey on her Instagram account for more updates.
Also Read: Who is Oprah Winfrey’s Partner? A Love for the Ages
