In a heartfelt and deeply personal interview, Pattie Mallette, mother of global superstar Justin Bieber, revealed the harrowing struggles she endured as a teenager — from surviving abuse to bravely choosing to keep her baby against immense pressure to give up hope.
Before becoming a mother, Pattie Mallette endured years of sexual abuse—a painful truth she reveals openly in her memoir Nowhere But Up: The Story of Justin Bieber’s Mom. She shared how the trauma left her overwhelmed with shame and self-blame. “So many survivors carry this heavy burden,” Mallette confessed. “You feel like something is fundamentally wrong with you. I definitely carried that weight.”
Her anguish reached a devastating peak when she attempted suicide as a teenager. Looking back on that dark chapter, she reflected, “It was the culmination of years of abuse, battling depression, and struggling with substance abuse. Drugs and alcohol only deepened the pain. It was my breaking point.”
At just 17, Pattie Mallette discovered she was pregnant with Justin. Despite intense pressure to terminate, she stood resolute in her choice to keep her baby. “I knew deep down I couldn’t go through with it,” Mallette shared with Gifford. “I didn’t know how I would manage, but I was determined to do everything I could. I had to give him a chance.”
That fierce determination carried her through the overwhelming challenges of being a young, single mother. When Justin was born, Mallette recalls the moment vividly — his first cry left an unforgettable mark on her heart. “It might sound strange, but his cry was like music to me,” she smiled. “It was like, ‘A hah, a hah,’ and I thought, ‘This is the most beautiful sound I’ve ever heard.’ I just wanted to hold him forever.”
Pattie Mallette’s journey—from a troubled past to raising one of the world’s biggest pop sensations—is a powerful testament to resilience, faith, and unconditional love. Her courageous decision to choose life against all odds not only shaped her own future but also paved the way for Justin’s extraordinary rise to global stardom.
In her memoir, she offers a raw and inspiring glimpse into the struggles and triumphs she faced along the way. “I didn’t have all the answers,” Mallette confessed, “but I was determined to give him the best life I possibly could.”
Mallette’s story stands as a powerful testament to overcoming adversity and discovering purpose, even in life’s toughest moments.