Ted Turner’s Father Committed Suicide, Suffered Depression After Divorce From Third Wife, Jane Fonda

The Media Mogul, Ted Turner, who revolutionised the future of TV news by launching CNN, passed away at the age of 87. He had a life full of roller coasters; while he was one of the most influential figures of modern broadcasting, he built a huge media empire for himself which shaped the modern news structure. He was the first one to introduce the world’s first 24-hour news cycle.

Ted Turner’s cause of death

On May 6, 2026, Ted Turner took his last breath at his home near Tallahassee, Florida. His passing marks the end of his long career that has many milestones, including sports ownership, philanthropy and a legacy that is full of highs in life. It is worth mentioning that initially, details about his cause of death were not made public. Many believed that he died due to a decline in physical functions due to an age-related issue. It is worth mentioning that Turner had revealed in a 2018 media interaction that he was suffering from dementia, which is a progressive neurological disorder. 

Who was Ted Turner?

Ted Turner was a legendary media mogul known for setting up CNN. He was also an environmentalist and philantropist. But he led a simple life. His full name was Robert Edward Turner III. His name comes from his father, Ed, and he was born in 1938 in Ohio. Over his career, spanning over several decades, he founded channels such as TBS, CNN, TNT, Turner Classic Movies, and the famous kids channel, Cartoon Network. 

Apart from this, Ted also owned the Atlanta Braves and won the America’s Cup crew in 1977. Not only this, he had the biggest land in the US, spread over two million acres. Ted Turner believed in one simple saying, ‘Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise.’

Ted Turner was separated from family at a young age

Ted Turner’s life wasn’t easy, as he suffered hardships from a young age. In his 2008 autobiography, Call Me Ted, he talked about his father, Ed Turner, who quickly lost his temper. He revealed that once, his father was under the influence of alcohol, he lost his temper and would spank him when he would act up. He wrote:

“My dad was a volatile man with a quick temper. When he drank his temper got worse, and when I acted up, he’d spank me.”

Ted Turner suffered with loneliness as he was left alone in a boarding school. In his book, he revealed that after his sister, Mary Jean Turner, was born in 1941, World War II broke out; that’s when his father joined the US Navy. His sister and mother joined him for basic training, but Ted was left to stay at an Ohio boarding school. In his book, Ted mentioned that his insecurities stemmed from being isolated at a young age. He stated that it is the reason he doesn’t like being isolated from other people. 

Another major blow in Ted’s life was when his younger sister was diagnosed with lupus at the age of 12. She suffered from brain damage and died at the tender age of 17. However, he doesn’t remember a lot of details about his sister’s death, as his brain found a way of blocking it out, as it wasn’t something he wanted to think about. But one thing that changed after his sister’s death was that he lost faith in God. 

Ted Turner’s father committed suicide when the media mogul was 24

Ted Turner has been through a lot since a young age. While he shared complicated dynamics with his father, which became worse in adulthood, he suffered the biggest loss when his father committed suicide. Ted would work with his father, Ed, who was in billboard advertising. But when Ted chose to pursue classics at Brown University, his father wasn’t happy and kicked him out. After three years, he went back to his father.

In 1963, Ted lost his father, who died by suicide. He left a note for Ted Turner, in which he apologised to his son. Ted revealed that he would never consider taking his own life, as he had suffered the pain of his father’s death and he knows what it is like for the people who are left behind. He doesn’t want to cause any pain to his children and grandchildren. Ted was left deeply depressed from his marriage to Jane Fonda, which lasted for 10 years. Fonda got a huge alimony after the divorce. Ted once said:

“I was working so hard, I really didn’t have as much time for my family or my children as I would have liked to have. I did the best I could, and the time we did spend together was quality time.”

What do you think about Ted Turner’s life, which was full of challenges from a young age?

Next Read: ‘Survivor 50’ Upcoming Prediction, Who Will Get Eliminated And Gets Ticket To Home From Survivor?

Images Courtesy: CNN/IG