Delilah Rene, the country’s most popular female radio host, is going off the air “‘for a time” as she mourns the loss of her son Zachariah, but she’s also going public about her grief.
On Facebook, Rene told fans that her son took his life after being treated for and battling depression for some time.
She writes:
My dear friends, I need to share some devastating news with you. In the early morning hours, Tuesday, Oct. 3, my son, Zachariah, took his life.
He was being treated, counseled and embraced fiercely by family and friends while battling depression for some time now. My heart is broken beyond repair and I cannot fathom how to go on … but I have to believe he is at peace with the Lord and that God will get us through.
I will be absent from the radio and on social media for a time as I grieve and try to process this loss with my family. In the meantime, we’ll be playing some of my favorite shows from the recent past. I’ll look forward to my return, as you all lift me up so very much!
Please pray for my beloved Zacky, and I will pray for all suffering from this debilitating disease called depression.
In 2012, Rene spoke with the 700 Club about her spiritual journey, saying, “My faith in God is so important to me and gives me so much joy and hope.”
Rene is the single mom of 13 children, 10 of whom are adopted. She lost another son, Sammy, in 2012 due to complications from sickle-cell anemia.
More than 389,000 fans have reacted to Rene’s post with over 147,000 commenting. Barbara Duffy Bogart told Rene, “You have helped so many people over the years with your honesty and caring love, and now it is our turn to help you with all of our prayers and compassion.”
Delilah’s show reaches eight million listeners on hundreds of radio stations in the U.S. and Canada. She calls it a “safety zone where listeners … share their secrets.”
Delilah was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2016. She started out in 1983 at KLSY in Seattle with a concept for a show that would not only take song requests from listeners but allow them to share their stories and struggles with a sympathetic host. {eoa}
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