Pastor Rick Warren, the founder and senior pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA, and author of the book, “The Purpose Driven Life,” has lost his youngest son, Matthew (27), who committed suicide on Friday, April 5. Matthew Warren battled with mental illness that caused severe depression his whole life.
Warren tweeted “Kay and I are overwhelmed by your love, prayers, and kind words. You are all encouraging our broken hearts” to his many followers.
“In spite of America’s best doctors, med, counselors, and prayers for healing, the torture of mental illness never subsided,” Pastor Warren wrote. “After a fun evening with Kay and me, in a momentary wave of despair at his home, he took his life.”
Warren, who described his son as an “incredibly kind, gentle, and compassionate man” said in the statement, “[Matthew] 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 beeline to that person to engage and encourage them.”
In addition to Matthew, the Warrens have two adult children (Amy and Josh) and four grandchildren
Our prayers and condolences are extended to the Warrens.
