Rick Warren and his family are battling the devastating news this weekend that their son, Matthew, has committed suicide.  According to Rick Warren's email to his congregation, the whole family, including Matthew, were together and had a fun evening on Friday, the night he died.  They said that Matthew took his life "in a momentary wave of despair at his home." 

Matthew was 27 years old and has had a life-long battle with mental illness and bi-polar disorder.  Matthew suffered from mental illness, depression, and suicidal tendencies.  Not too much is known about Matthew's personal life and struggles, however the family has mentioned it a few times in the past couple years.  Conservative David Virtue of VirtueOnline did report that in February 2011 while speaking at a winter conference, Kay Warren, Rick's wife, spoke openly of some of her family struggles including, "our youngest child struggles with bipolar disease and has found it difficult to keep going. We have hung on by a thread of a finger nail."

Warren sent out a heart-felt email to his church congregation sharing about his son and asking for prayer.  In the email he says, "No words can express the anguished grief we feel right now," Warren wrote. "Our youngest son, Matthew, age 27, and a lifelong member of Saddleback, died today."  Warren talked about all of his sons beautiful qualities and also shared, "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."

To give deeper insight into Matthew's situation, Warren wrote, "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?" and added, "But he kept going for another decade."

Clearly many questions are left unanswered but it does bring up the conversation again about mental illness and the severity that it affects people.  We just hope that some good can eventually come from this tragic situation.  Please send your prayers to the Warren family today.