Ergun Caner Breaks Silence on ‘Excruciating Pain’ of Son’s Suicide

“No words. No sermon. No funny quotes. No answers. No note. Nothing but excruciating pain & the assurance that I’ll see him in Glory,” that was Ergun Caner’s expression of grief on Twitter over his son’s suicide.

Caner’s 15-year-old son committed suicide last week. Caner is president of Brewton-Parker College in Mount Vernon, Georgia, as well as a well-known Christian author and Baptist minister.

A service for his son, Braxton, was held Saturday at New River Church in Hudson Oaks, Texas.

Brewton-Parker released a statement consoling the Caners:

“Our hearts are filled with great sorrow as the entire Brewton-Parker College family grieves with its beloved president, Dr. Ergun Caner, his wife Jill, and Drake, their youngest son over the tragic death of their oldest son and big brother, Braxton Paige Caner. Braxton was born March 8, 1999 in Denver, Colorado. He came to faith in Christ at the tender age of 6 and was baptized by his dad at the Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia,” the statement reads.

“Braxton would later reaffirm his commitment to Christ at a youth camp under the preaching of evangelist Tony Nolan. Consequently, he began traveling with his dad and sharing his faith on mission trips, evangelistic meetings, Bible conferences, and youth camps in 41 states as well as foreign countries including Kenya, Israel, Wales and the Bahamas. He was a member of the Willow Park Baptist Church in Aledo, Texas.

“Braxton Caner was energetic and outgoing. In football, he held a starting guard position for the Aledo High School Bearcats and was to enter his sophomore year next month. The Caner family and Brewton-Parker College community covet your prayers as we walk through this painful time together.”

In April 2013, Rick Warren’s son took his own life. Matthew Warren, 27, had struggled with mental illness before his death. There is no indication that Braxton suffered with mental illness.