Note: This story was originally published in September 2012.
In a deeply personal interview, Pattie Mallette, mother of pop star Justin Bieber, opened up about the hardships that shaped her life long before fame entered it. As a teenager, Mallette endured years of sexual abuse—an experience she recounts candidly in her memoir Nowhere But Up. The trauma left her burdened with shame and self-blame, emotions she says are common among survivors.
Her emotional pain eventually led to a suicide attempt during her teen years. Looking back, she described it as the result of prolonged abuse compounded by depression and substance use. “It was a breaking point,” she admitted. At just 17, Mallette found herself pregnant with Justin. Despite strong pressure to terminate the pregnancy, she made the life-changing decision to keep her baby.
“I didn’t know how I would manage,” she said, “but I knew I had to give him a chance.” That determination carried her through the struggles of single motherhood. She recalls Justin’s first cry as a moment that changed everything. “It sounded like music,” she said. “It was the most precious sound I’d ever heard.”
Mallette’s journey—from trauma and despair to raising one of the world’s most famous artists—stands as a powerful story of resilience, faith, and unconditional love. Her memoir offers a raw look at the pain she endured and the strength it took to build a new life for herself and her son.