Pastor Rick Warren, his wife Kay, their immediate family and extended family of Saddleback Community Church in Orange County, CA are in need of our prayers. The Warren’s Twenty Seven year old son Matthew Warren took his own life.
Matthew suffered his entire life with mental health issues and bouts of deep depression. Pastor Warren sent the following email to his staff.
Subject: Needing your prayers
To my dear staff,
Over the past 33 years we’ve been together through every kind of crisis. Kay and I’ve been privileged to hold your hands as you faced a crisis or loss, stand with you at gravesides, and prayed for you when ill. Today, we need your prayer for us.
No words can express the anguished grief we feel right now. Our youngest son, Matthew, age 27, and a lifelong member of Saddleback, died today.
You who watched Matthew grow up knew he was an incredibly kind, gentle, and compassionate man. He had a brilliant intellect and a gift for sensing who was most in pain or most uncomfortable in a room. He’d then make a bee-line to that person to engage and encourage them.
But only those closest knew that he struggled from birth with mental illness, dark holes of depression, and even suicidal thoughts. In spite of America’s best doctors, meds, counselors, and prayers for healing, the torture of mental illness never subsided. Today, after a fun evening together with Kay and me, in a momentary wave of despair at his home, he took his life.
Kay and I often marveled at his courage to keep moving in spite of relentless pain. I’ll never forget how, many years ago, after another approach had failed to give relief, Matthew said “ Dad, I know I’m going to heaven. Why can’t I just die and end this pain?” but he kept going for another decade.
Thank you for your love and prayers. We love you back.
Pastor Rick
Suicide has touched or will touch nearly everyones life at some point. Every time I read or hear of someone taking their own lives, I immediately remember the times that suicide has touched my life. In the immediate aftermath there is a lot of confusion and as you reflect in hind sight you see the signs. Clearly the Warren’s did all they could for Matthew and one day they will be reunited with him in Heaven. Matthew’s pain is gone as he is now in Heaven with fellow Saints of God.
It is imperative that we finish the race of life strong, knowing that we (who are believers) will once again enjoy being reunited with those that have gone before us. Matthew finished strong, he persevered through 27 years.
Read the blog post from the CNN Belief Blog, here
Rosalyn Carter declared mental illness as America’s number one health issue in 1977…she was so right and so far ahead of her time. The number of people suffering from depression and manic episodes reaches every family…often undiagnosed, it is non-the-less effecting more lives than ever. What a tragedy to watch your own child self-destruct…this is something more parents can relate to than we would ever want to admit…it is tragic and has to become something that is as important to cure as cancer or heart disease. God Bless the Warren family.