Pastor Rick Warren and his wife, Kay, said in their first interview with the media since their son's suicide more than five months ago that they knew all along that the day would come when they would become spokespeople for mental illness.
The Warrens told CNN's Piers Morgan during a taped broadcast of his show that aired Tuesday evening that they kept their son's lifelong struggles with mental disease out of the public eye for the sake of his dignity.
In response to Morgan's question about whether he should have done more as "Rick Warren, America's pastor" about the issue of mental health before their son, Matthew, took his life, Warren replied, "We've always known since Matthew has lived his entire life with mental illness that one day we would be spokespeople for mental illness. Kay and I have known this for years and years.
"The reason we were quiet was primarily to protect Matthew's dignity. It was his story to tell," Warren said. "We were always praying that either A, he would be healed miraculously, or B, will get treatment, therapy, medicine that helps him manage his disease for the rest of his life, and then he can tell this story."
Matthew Warren died at the age of 27 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound on April 5. The Warrens, who are the founders of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif., decided to grant the interview in recognition of National Suicide Prevention Week (Sept. 8-14) and in an effort to help remove the stigma of mental illness.
On the subject of keeping their son's mental illness private, Kay Warren said, "We didn't want him to endure the scrutiny that's being thrown at Rick. He was already struggling. To be in the public spotlight, have people scrutinize him … he didn't need that."
When asked how they would like Matthew to be remembered, Kay Warren said, "…We put on his marker, 'compassionate warrior,' and that pretty much sums him up, his deep compassion."
Warren added, "We've probably received over 30,000 letters of condolences. The letters that have meant most to me were from the people that Matthew had led to faith in Christ. That they are going to be in heaven because of him, and [writing]: 'I know the Lord. I have a relationship with Jesus because of your son over the years.'"
The gut-wrenching interview with Morgan, including tears from the couple during several of their answers, also featured discussion about the several stages of grief.
"I've said almost from the start, that we are devastated, but not destroyed," Kay Warren said. "We are going to survive and someday we'll thrive again. [However], it is the worst thing that could ever happen."
source: www.wisesolod..in/2013/09/rick-kay-warren-kept-sons-mental.html

Is this a political news? What happened to religious section? Take this to that place