Bruce Springsteen had a difficult relationship with his father, Douglas Springsteen, who never expressed his love to the singer.
Bruce’s wife, Patti Scialfa, and their kids helped him overcome the “destructive behavior” that resulted from his relationship with his dad.
Bruce and Patti’s only grandchild recently celebrated her first birthday.
Bruce Springsteen is a singer-songwriter who has been open about the difficult relationship he had with his father, Douglas Springsteen.
Bruce, 73, struggled to survive depression in his sixties partly due to identity issues brought on by his relationship with his father.
The singer spoke of his dad when he approached his seventies in celebration, thanks to his successful career. Bruce was also on a healing journey that involved making peace with the past.
Bruce noted that it’s been hard for him to find peace with his true self and identity due to his father, who almost destroyed him in several ways. The singer said he wanted his dad’s love so much, but he never got to experience it because Douglas didn’t love him.
Douglas hated that Bruce was kind and compassionate like his mother. He wanted Bruce to be as hard as him because he saw the singer’s qualities as weaknesses. “He was very dismissive of primarily who I was,” said Bruce.
Later on in life, Bruce came to learn that his father had paranoid schizophrenia, which helped the singer understand some of Douglas’ behavior. He understood why his father mostly brooded, was silent, and would sit alone in a dark kitchen; he was a lost man.
The 73-year-old, who finally understood his dad, also found purpose in his two sons, a daughter, and a wife. Bruce worked hard to let go of the anger and hurt he had for Douglas. These were aspects of himself that he called “the worst of my destructive behavior.”
Bruce had lived a life scared of having his own family because his dad once sent him a message that said a woman and a family weaken a man. Luckily, the singer overcame the fears brought by these words and promised himself not to lose his kids the way his dad lost him.
The singer’s inner peace also came from a memorable visit from his father. Douglas visited Bruce when he and his wife, Patti Scialfa, were a few days from welcoming their first child.
It was during that visit that Douglas admitted to Bruce that he was never a good father to him. Bruce described this moment as the greatest in his life because it released him from his dad’s sins and mistakes and gave him a chance to be his own person.
The father of three, who said his dad was his hero and his greatest foe, went on raise his kids with love and take care of his family, which he truly treasures.
How Did Bruce’s Wife and Kids Change Him?
