Jana Kramer's Powerful Story of Overcoming Harrowing Domestic Abuse: A Tale of Triumph and Healing

Jana Kramer Greg Doherty/Getty Images

During her interview on Today With Hoda & Jenna on Tuesday, October 24, Jana Kramer opened up about the domestic violence she experienced at the hands of her first husband, Michael Gambino. Speaking candidly, the 39-year-old singer and actress admitted that she has not previously discussed the abuse publicly because it is still a difficult topic for her. She shared her feelings of shame and recalled moments when she realized she deserved better, questioning her own actions. This lingering shame continues to affect her to this day.

The actress from One Tree Hill recently published her second book, titled The Next Chapter: Making Peace with Difficult Memories, Discovering Hope in Every Aspect of Life, and Creating Space for Positive Things to Happen. In this book, she recounts her divorce and past relationships.

"Whenever I discuss domestic violence or share my personal experiences, it's as if people naturally assume certain things because they believe it to be true," she explained. "However, I have reached a point where I would never tolerate someone physically harming me, speaking to me in a disrespectful manner, or showing any form of disrespect. It's because I now understand and recognize my worth, and I realize that I deserve to be treated with respect."

In her book, the former Dancing with the Stars contestant recounts the horrifying abuse she endured from Gambino, whom she married in 2004 but divorced less than a year later. The abuse was so severe that it almost claimed her life.

She describes countless instances of having her head forcefully slammed into bathroom mirrors, being choked, and being pushed on a weekly basis. Almost every morning, at around 3 o'clock, after returning from wild nights out at clubs, he would throw her out of bed.

Towards the end of their relationship, she became like a lifeless doll in his hands. Consumed by depression and fear, she desperately longed for a way out, but felt completely trapped.

After choking Kramer one night, Gambino believed he had taken her life and departed from their residence. Consequently, he was apprehended, convicted of attempted murder, and handed a prison sentence of six years. Sadly, Gambino passed away in 2012.

Following the end of her relationships with Gambino and her second spouse, Johnathon Schaech, whom she was married to from 2010 to 2011, Kramer subsequently tied the knot with Mike Caussin in 2015. However, their marriage was tumultuous, marred by Caussin's numerous infidelities, and ultimately culminated in their divorce which was finalized in 2021.

In her book, Kramer recounted an incident where her partner, who is 36 years old and will not be named, allegedly threw wet laundry at her while she was recovering from breast augmentation surgery in 2021. As a result, Kramer lost her balance and fell, prompting her to burst into tears. She shared that her partner, in a manner reminiscent of their past relationship, callously remarked, "That didn't hurt. Get the f–k up." It is worth noting that Kramer and her partner have a 7-year-old daughter named Jolie and a 4-year-old son named Jace together.

Currently, Kramer is anticipating the arrival of her third child, a boy, with her fiancé Allan Russell. Notably, Russell is a father to a 16-year-old son named Troy and was previously a stepfather to Claudia, his former partner's daughter.

If you or someone you know are experiencing domestic violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 for confidential support.