California megachurch pastor commits suicide

Los Angeles, Sep 12 (IANS) A 30-year-old California megachurch pastor known for his mental health advocacy has committed suicide, officials said. Jarrid Wilson worked at the 15,000 member Harvest Christian Fellowship Church for 18 months before his death, the BBC reported.

His death was confirmed on Wednesday by Senior Pastor Greg Laurie, who leads the church in Southern California. “Jarrid loved the Lord and had a servant’s heart. He was vibrant, positive, and was always serving and helping others,” he wrote on the church’s website.

“Jarrid also repeatedly dealt with depression and was very open about his ongoing struggles,” Mr Laurie added. “He wanted to especially help those who were dealing with suicidal thoughts.” Wilson and his wife Juli founded “Anthem of Hope”, a programme created to help people dealing with depression.

He is survived by his two sons and wife, who wrote the death had “completely ripped my heart out of my chest”. A fundraiser to support Wilson’s family has raised more than $42,000 as of Wednesday.

–IANS
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