Madoff: Ruth's Words Are Offensive

Nov. 3, 2011— -- Stephanie Madoff, the widow of convicted Ponzi schemer Bernard Madoff's son Mark, has fired back at claims mother-in-law Ruth Madoff made on TV about her own suicide attempt, as well as those brother-in-law Andrew Madoff made in new book about the family.

Stephanie Madoff said on Anderson Cooper's daytime talk show "Anderson" Wednesday that she was offended by Ruth Madoff's revelations on "60 Minutes" that she and her husband attempted suicide on Christmas Eve 2008 by swallowing prescription pills.

"I have no idea what went on in that penthouse that night, but for Ruth to talk about trying to kill herself so flippantly like that is so offensive to me, because that's how my husband died," she said.

Stephanie's husband, Mark Madoff, took his life on the second anniversary of his father's arrest in December 2011. Mark Madoff hanged himself in the couple's Soho loft.

"Ruth says she was happy that she woke up. I'm happy for Ruth that she woke up, but I just wish that my husband had, and he didn't," she said.

Stephanie Madoff, 37, said she was also upset by Ruth's confession in "Truth and Consequences: Life Inside the Madoff Family" by Laurie Sandell," that her husband's infidelity was "the most hurtful thing" that ever happened to her -- more so than the suicide of her son.

"To say that the affair was worse … it doesn't make sense to me. She doesn't make sense to me," she said.

She also took the opportunity to hit back at Andrew Madoff's claims in "Truth and Consequences," a book that Andrew Madoff's financee, Catherine Hooper, helped bring about, that Stephanie and Mark had a rocky relationship, and that Stephanie was days away from leaving Mark when he was found hanged.

Andrew Madoff's account of his brother's marriage was far different from the relationship that Stephanie recently described to Robin Roberts on "Good Morning America."

"Mark was the nicest guy. He was the most devoted father … and he truly was my best friend," Stephanie told "GMA."

In "Truth and Consequences," published Oct. 31 by Little Brown, Andrew Madoff described brother Mark as his best friend -- and a mama's boy -- but Stephanie said that Mark's actions in the days before his suicide suggested otherwise.

"He sent emails to my mother, brother and stepfather, and to his attorney. He sent no goodbye emails to anyone in his family," she said. "My family had become his. He felt very abandoned obviously by Ruth. He felt abandoned by his brother."

Though Stephanie said she's shocked and offended by Ruth's comments, Stephanie still believes that her mother-in-law had no knowledge of Bernard Madoff's crimes, and remains undecided as to whether she will allow her young children to have a relationship with their grandmother.