Jill Duggar found herself grappling with shocking revelations about her family, unveiled in cousin Amy Duggar’s new memoir.
The 19 Kids and Counting alumna, alongside her husband Derick Dillard, discussed these revelations during an Instagram Live Q&A after the release of Amy’s book, Holy Disruptor, on October 14.
“I actually told Jill some things about her grandfather that she didn’t know, so that was an interesting dynamic,” Derick shared.
Jill recounted their conversation, admitting her surprise. “He was like, ‘Did you know this, that or the other about Grandpa Duggar? And I was like, ‘No, tell me more,’” she explained. “And it was so weird because he’s like, ‘I’m literally telling you more about your grandpa than you knew.’” Though Derick never met Jimmy Lee, Jill had previously shared stories with him. “[The book] definitely is deep,” Jill noted, adding depth to the family narrative.
Family Secrets Revealed
Amy’s book explores her “complicated” and “unpredictable” grandfather, revealing alleged traumatic experiences her mother, Deanna, endured. Amy described a harrowing scene where Jimmy Lee attacked Deanna after she returned home from college.
“With a leather belt in his hand and the most haunting, crazed look in his eyes, he grabbed her by the legs, held her down on the bed, and began beating her, every hit harder than the last. … This brutal torture lasted for more than an hour,” Amy recounted, mentioning Deanna’s severe injuries.
Another chilling instance involved Jimmy Lee’s violent reaction when Deanna considered moving in with her boyfriend.
“[Jimmy Lee] grabbed her by the throat, carried her from the kitchen to his bed, and jumped on top of her. He wrapped his hands around her neck, lay on top of her so she was unable to move, and started strangling her. … He almost succeeded in murdering my mother,” Amy wrote. Jim Bob’s intervention saved Deanna’s life.
The revelations extended beyond physical abuse. Amy, advised never to be alone with her grandfather, later understood the warning was due to his predatory nature.
“The reason I was not allowed to be alone with my grandpa was because he was a predator!” Amy disclosed. “Underneath JL’s charming and funny personality was a true monster.”
A Bold Revelation
Jill commended Amy’s courage in unearthing and sharing painful family truths. “It was very insightful, honestly,” Jill commented. “We learned more about our family history than we knew.”
In an exclusive with Us Weekly, Amy revealed her mother’s initial hesitation about publicizing these stories.
“I think at first she kind of pushed back. … And then I think she thought about it and was like, ‘You know what? Actually, by talking about it, it takes away its power,’” Amy said.
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.
Reporting based on the original article; quotes reproduced verbatim.
