When Ruth Madoff arrived in Connecticut for her son Mark's funeral in December, she was turned away by his widow Stephanie, the NY Post reported.

Ruth, who's been living in Florida, flew to Greenwich specially for the private memorial service and was forced to mourn alone at her friend's home.

She sat shiva -- a Jewish tradition in which immediate family members mourn the death of a loved one for seven days immediately after the funeral -- by herself.

A family friend of the Madoffs told People, via the Post,

She passes most of her days and nights alone and numb... "She told me, 'At night, it gets to me -- the shame, the disgrace, all the stuff that killed Mark.' "

When the news of the Ponzi scheme broke, her sons apparently gave Ruth an ultimatum: It's him or us. Though she chose Andrew and Mark, who committed suicide in December, she later returned to support Bernie after he was beaten in prison. Her boys were furious, and "cut her out of their lives."

We assume this is the reason Stephanie forbade her mother-in-law from attending the service.

According to the Post, the article in People (which we can't find online yet) describes how Ruth uses her maiden name, Alpern, in Florida, and "dyes her hair red when venturing out to rent dollar DVDs or visit the public library."

If you or someone you know is experiencing depression or has had thoughts of harming themself or taking their own life, get help. In the US, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which provides 24/7, free, confidential support for people in distress, as well as best practices for professionals and resources to aid in prevention and crisis situations. Help is also available through the Crisis Text Line — just text "HOME" to 741741. The International Association for Suicide Prevention offers resources for those outside the US.

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