Pastor and mental health advocate, Jarrid Wilson, 30, dies by suicide
Article By Laura Hardrict // EEW Magazine // Death
Those who knew and loved 30-year-old Jarrid Wilson, a California pastor, author and mental health advocate who died by suicide, are absolutely gutted.
The associate pastor at megachurch Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, CA, tweeted about “suicidal thoughts” and “depression” before killing himself on Monday, Sep. 9.
“Loving Jesus doesn’t always cure suicidal thoughts. Loving Jesus doesn’t always cure depression,” reads a somber message from the official Twitter account of the co-founder of Anthem of Hope, a mental health nonprofit.
Wilson, who leaves behind a wife, Julianne, and two young boys, also shared a post the same day encouraging anyone feeling “lonely” and “depressed” to reach out to a “HopeCoach” from his organization.
Though many are shocked by Wilson’s death, his ongoing battle with depression was no secret. He often opened up about his own mental health struggles so others would know they were not alone.
Jarrid Wilson’s family (Credit: Instagram)
On Aug. 21, the author of Love is Oxygen, posted on Instagram, “Admitting you struggle with mental health doesn’t make you a bad Christian”—it makes you an honest one.
Greg Laurie, Senior Pastor at Harvest Christian Fellowship where Wilson served, shared the news on social media.
“At a time like this, there are just no words,” he wrote in his statement. “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.”
Pastor Greg Laurie (Photo Credit: Harvest)
The 66-year-old leader who is heavy with grief added, “At the end of the day, pastors are just people who need to reach out to God for His help and strength, each and every day.”
The wife of the deceased posted a tribute in honor of her late husband on Instagram, describing him as “loving, giving, kind-hearted, encouraging, handsome, [and] hilarious.”
“Suicide doesn’t get the last word. I won’t let it,” she wrote. “You always said ‘Hope Gets the last word. Jesus does.’”
Before ending his life, Wilson shared on Twitter that he was officiating a funeral for a woman who had died by suicide. Now, someone will be officiating his.
If you are in crisis or know someone in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.