US President Joe Biden has shared that he grappled with thoughts of suicide following the tragic loss of his wife and daughter in a car accident.

In a conversation with radio journalist Howard Stern, President Biden opened up about the profound grief he experienced after his first wife, Nelia, and their one-year-old daughter, Naomi, were killed in a car crash in Delaware, USA, on December 18, 1972.

Reflecting on his darkest moments, Biden revealed to Stern, “You don’t have to be crazy to contemplate suicide if you’ve experienced the pinnacle of joy and fear it may never return. For a fleeting moment, I considered going to the Delaware Memorial Bridge and ending it all, but I had two kids.”

The President also disclosed that following his wife’s passing, he would often reach for a bottle of scotch with intentions to drown his sorrows, yet he could never bring himself to do so. “I don’t drink. It’s not a virtue; it’s simply not something I’ve ever done. I used to sit there and contemplate opening a bottle of scotch. We always had liquor in the house, but I could never follow through,” Biden shared.

Biden has previously cited his family history of alcoholism as a reason for his abstention from drinking, stating, “There are enough drunks in my family.”

These revelations surfaced during a surprise appearance on Stern’s SiriusXM show, an event not listed on the president’s public schedule and only announced by the White House once it aired live on the radio.

In addition, President Biden expressed willingness to engage in a debate with his Republican opponent, Donald Trump, stating, “I am, at some point. I don’t know when, but I am happy to debate him.”