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Delilah Rene breaks silence on son’s heartbreaking suicide one year later, lauds prayerful healing
Radio host Delilah Rene speaks out about her son's 2017 suicide and credits God and prayer for bringing her through the darker times. Rene details how she was able to cope with the loss of her son in her new book, "One Heart at a Time." (Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

Delilah Rene breaks silence on son’s heartbreaking suicide one year later, lauds prayerful healing

Nationally syndicated radio personality Delilah Rene has opened up about the 2017 suicide of her teenage son one year after his untimely death.

What did she say?

Rene spoke to "Good Morning America" on Tuesday about the 2017 loss of her teenage son, Zachariah.

During the interview, Rene said that she didn't handle her son's suicide very well, all things considered.

In her new book, "One Heart at a Time," Rene details how she was able to cope with the loss of her son, even though there were times she "couldn't write" and "couldn't talk about it."

The book documents Zachariah's struggle with depression, which ultimately led to his suicide.

Rene said that while she was mourning, her publishers spoke to her sister in order to write about Zachariah for the book.

"She said, 'I'll help. you know, I'll step in and help,' and I'm like 'Oh, no, no, no, no.' Nobody's telling Zack's story but me," Rene explained.

This prompted Rene to move on the book, and on healing.

"I do want parents to know," she explained. "We need to talk about teenage suicide. And we need to start having open conversations, as painful as they are, because it's an epidemic."

Rene credited her faith as to what got her through the heart-wrenching loss, and said that she simply "would not be standing if it weren't for the prayers of my friends, my family, and my listeners."

"It's so funny, because nights are the worst," she admitted. "You know, I finish the show, and that's when [the loss] hits. That was our time together. My son was a night owl."

In her book, "One Heart at a Time" — which is now available for purchase — Rene writes, "So how do we change the world? The answer: one heart at a time. I'll start by sharing my heart with you."

"By sharing my personal stories and what I've learned in my experiences, the positive and the negative, my hope is you'll start to see the miracles in your life, recognize divine promptings, consider your purpose, follow with prayerful obedience, open yourself to serve other, and let go of things that burden you — all so you may find peace in this harsh existence."

You can watch a portion of Rene's segment on "Good Morning America" in the video below, and read an expanded excerpt of her book here.

What else do we know about his death?

On Oct. 7, 2017, Rene made the announcement of her son's death on Facebook, revealing that he'd struggled with depression.

She wrote, "My dear friends, I need to share some devastating news with you. In the early morning hours, Tuesday, October 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," she added. "My heart is broken beyond repair and I can not fathom how to go on ... but I have to believe he is at peace with the Lord and that God will get us through."

Rene noted that she would be taking a leave of absence to process the loss.

"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," she explained. "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!"

Rene concluded, "Please pray for my beloved Zacky, and I will pray for all suffering from this debilitating disease called depression."

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