Pastor and Mental Health Advocate Jarrid Wilson Dies by Suicide, Family Says

Pastor and Mental Health Advocate Jarrid Wilson Dies by Suicide, Family Says
A stock photo of an ambulance. (Joerg Huettenhoelscher/Shutterstock)
Jack Phillips
9/11/2019
Updated:
9/11/2019
If you are in an emergency in the United States or Canada, please call 911. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

The pastor of a megachurch in Southern California and mental health advocate died by suicide on Monday, Sept. 9.

Jarrid Wilson, 30, was an associate pastor at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside and also founded Anthem of Hope, a mental health nonprofit that helped people deal with depression.

“At a time like this, there are just no words,” Pastor Greg Laurie, the head of the church, said in a statement. “The Bible says, ‘There is a time to mourn.’ This is certainly that time.”

He added that “he was vibrant, positive, and was always serving and helping others...He wanted to especially help those who were dealing with suicidal thoughts.”

“Sometimes people may think that as pastors or spiritual leaders we are somehow above the pain and struggles of everyday people. We are the ones who are supposed to have all the answers. But we do not,” Laurie continued.

Home Church Nashville, where he used to be a pastor, posted a message on Facebook in the wake of his death.

“Right now, I’m really sad that I didn’t get to show up for him in his low place. Jarrid, I love you and already miss you. You brought light even in the midst of your own darkness and hope even when you couldn’t feel it for yourself. You were good, and you were kind, and you were a gift to me,” it said.
His wife, Julianne, also issued a statement about his death.

She posted a tribute about her “loving, giving, kind-hearted, encouraging, handsome, hilarious, give the shirt off his back husband” on Instagram and said, “Suicide doesn’t get the last word.”

“YOU WERE an ANTHEM OF HOPE to everyone, baby, and I'll do my best to continue your legacy of love until my last breath,” Wilson recalled.

Wilson is also the author of several books, including “Love is Oxygen” and “Jesus Swagger.”

His death came just one day before National Suicide Day, which was Sept. 10.

He also tweeted about suicide on the same day: “Lonely? Depressed? Need someone to talk to? Check out the FREE Anthem of Hope 24/7 chat feature. You don’t have to do this alone!”

Suicide Hotlines

If you are in an emergency in the U.S. or Canada, please call 911. You can phone the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1 800 273 8255. Youth can call the Kids Help Phone on 1800 668 6868.
In the United Kingdom, people can call Samaritans at 116 123, Papyrus at 0800 068 41 41, or Childline at 0800 1111.
In Australia, the suicide prevention telephone hotline at Lifeline is 13 11 14. You can also visit the Lifeline website at lifeline.org.au. Youth can contact the Kids Helpline by phoning 1800 551 800 or visiting headspace.org.au/yarn-safe
If you are in an emergency in India, call Befrienders India – National Association at +91 33 2474 4704.
Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter with 15 years experience who started as a local New York City reporter. Having joined The Epoch Times' news team in 2009, Jack was born and raised near Modesto in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5
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