Jill and Jessa Duggar say they were as shocked as anyone by the revelations about big brother Josh – and more devastated than you even know.
In a new promo for the upcoming, nonsensically-titled Jessa and Jill Duggar special, Jill & Jessa: Counting On, they open up about the epic fallout.
The sneak peek shows the married sisters reflecting back on the bombshell scandals, which effectively torpedoed the 19 Kids & Counting empire.
“Here I am, most joyful time in my life – newlywed, baby on the way – and then…” Jessa, who is pregnant and due in just two weeks’ time, reflects.
“We were devastated. Like, we couldn’t believe it.”
“You have to wonder, like, ‘How did this happen?"”
“The whole world was shocked,” her big sister Jill, the parent of baby son Israel, adds. “I’ve cried a lot of tears. I still do. I don’t know, I’m hurting.”
In May, it was revealed that Josh Duggar molested his sisters while he was underage way back in 2002. Jill and Jessa were among Josh’s victims.
The two admitted as much in a tearful Fox News interview in which they revealed their suffering, yet at the same time sort of defended the dude.
As horrific as that is, he was a troubled teenager, and parents Jim Bob and Michelle deserve some of the criticism for their handling of the situation.
Josh’s second scandal, however, was worse.
Exposed in the mega Ashley Madison data breach, Josh was revealed as a big fan of “one-night stands,” “sex toys,” and traumatizing, rough sex.
He is married with four young children.
“I have been the biggest hypocrite ever,” he said in a statement before being shipped off to a Christian labor camp, possibly never to be seen again.
“While espousing faith and family values, I have secretly [been] viewing pornography on the internet and [I have become] unfaithful to my wife.”
“I am so ashamed of the double life that I have been living and am grieved for the hurt, pain and disgrace my sin has caused my wife and family.”
We’ll see if the family sticks by him.
Reports that Anna Duggar is leaving Josh have been gaining traction of late, though no one knows with certainty what the long-suffering wife is planning.
In any case, for Jill and Jessa, “We do feel like we’re stepping on,” the former reflected, noting. “We will come out of this fire stronger as a family unit.”
Here’s hoping.
As Mike Huckabee points out, without being ironic, the other 18 turned out fine, so we shouldn’t judge the Duggars as a whole based on Josh, right?!
