Bierce married Mary Ellen "Mollie" Day on December 25, 1871. They had three children: sons Day (1872–1889)[47] and Leigh (1874–1901)[47] and daughter Helen (1875–1940). Both of Bierce's sons died before he did. Day committed suicide after a romantic rejection (he non-fatally shot the woman of his affections along with her fiancé beforehand),[48][49] and Leigh died of pneumonia related to alcoholism.[47] Bierce separated from his wife in 1888, after discovering compromising letters to her from an admirer. They divorced in 1904.[47] Mollie Day Bierce died the following year.
Bierce was an avowed agnostic and strongly rejected the divinity of Christ.[50] He had lifelong asthma,[51] as well as complications from his war wounds, most notably episodes of fainting and irritability assignable to the traumatic brain injury experienced at Kennesaw Mountain.[26][27]
