Ina Garten Heartbreakingly Revealed Why She Was ‘Physically Afraid’ of Her Father in Upcoming Memoir

Warning: This post depicts abusive relationships and depictions of such.

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Ina Garten is the pinnacle of warmth in a human being, but her upbringing was the opposite of such. In a new, heartbreaking admission for her upcoming memoir Be Ready When the Luck Happens , Garten revealed to People what her home life was like, and it’s truly a terrifying account.

Garten’s new memoir talks about her life with her late parents, Charles (a surgeon who focused on head and neck issues) and Florence Rosenberg (a dietitian). This is the first time she’s talking about what it was really like, and be ready for some heartbreak.

“I was terrified,” she said. “I was physically afraid of my dad. I literally remember thinking he would kill me if I did something. I was physically afraid of him. And my mother just was unsupportive.”

Garten detailed the abuse , and how she was always walking on eggshells to avoid her father’s anger. Along with that, she spent most of her time locked in her bedroom to protect herself.

“If there’s a threat of violence , you’re always afraid, even when it’s not happening. So I basically spent my entire childhood in my bedroom with a door closed,” she said. “I think it was just protection. It was just to keep myself safe.”

However, she also talks about her mother’s controlling nature, telling People that even her “safe haven,” aka her bedroom, was controlled by her mother.

Garten talked about how she wanted it all purple, but her mom vetoed it because it would “turn out badly….It was something she said to me a lot.”

Our hearts are with Garten, and we’re proud of her for bravely coming forward with her story. Her memoir will be out on Oct 1.

If you or someone you know is experiencing child abuse, call or text Child Help Hotline at 1-800-422-4453.

Before you go, click here to see celebrities who have spoken out about being estranged from family.