The youngest son of evangelical Pastor Rick Warren and his wife Kay committed suicide after a long battle with mental illness, Saddleback Valley Community Church in Lake Forest, Calif., said in a statement Saturday. The pastor and his wife were enjoying a Friday evening with their son, but he returned home to end his life in "a momentary wave of despair," the pastor said in an email to church staff, according to The Associated Press. Matthew Warren was 27 years old. “Matthew was an incredibly kind, gentle and compassionate young man whose sweet spirit was encouragement and comfort to many. Unfortunately, he also suffered from mental illness resulting in deep depression and suicidal thoughts,” the church said in a statement. In the letter to his church community, Warren said he and his wife "often marveled" at their son's "courage to keep moving in spite of relentless pain." Matthew Warren was the youngest of their three children, according to the AP. Rick Warren founded Saddleback Church in 1980. He is also the author of “The Purpose Driven Life,” which has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, according to the church’s website. Another pastor preached in Warren's place on Sunday.
