Friends are mourning the passing of Steve Austin, a former pastor and author who penned books and blog entries on his struggles with mental health.
Al.com reported that on June 7, Hoover, Alabama police discovered Austin's dead body in a vehicle in the parking lot of a business in the 2600 block of John Hawkins Parkway around 6:06 a.m. Monday.
After spotting the vehicle parked in front of the building, employees arriving for work phoned the police and reported it.
Austin was reported missing from Alabaster on Saturday after failing to return home, says the Hoover police. The cause of his death is being probed as a possible suicide.
Religion News Service (RNS) noted that the late Glenn Stephen "Steve" Austin of Alabaster, Alabama, was a writer, podcaster, and a life coach.
Earlier this year, he announced intentions to launch a program called "Jesus Coaching." He intends to help individuals "deconstruct (their) faith and uncover (their) true sel(ves) in a safe, confidential, supportive environment."
When Austin was discovered unconscious in a hotel room by emergency responders after taking an overdose of medicine in a botched suicide attempt, he wrote about it in his blog entries and in his 2016 book, "From Pastor to a Psych Ward."
His journal entry said, "I had been unconscious nearly 12 hours. They thought I was dead."
Austin told Birmingham Christian Voice in 2019 that he "survived childhood sexual abuse, plus years of toxic theology, but the effects rippled through my life for the next twenty-five years. This isn't your typical Christian story."
He explained that he wrote "From Pastor to a Psych Ward" to document the years leading up to the suicide attempt and to share the practical steps he followed in his first year of rehabilitation after almost dying.
"Recovery from a suicide attempt is a living hell, but it is possible," he said. "Faith was a part of my journey, but so was medication, a powerful support system, and grueling hours in therapy. This book is for anyone who has nearly died by suicide and is left wondering 'what's next.'"
Friends expressed their griefs on social media
Austin's death prompted an outpouring of messages on social media, all of which were meant to commemorate his life.
"He wanted people to know that they could love Jesus and have a therapist," said Holly Oxhandler, an associate dean at Baylor University's Diana Garland School of Social Work.
As a result of their common interest in the connection of mental health and Christianity, Oxhandler made friends with Austin, and she claimed she had been texting him on Saturday about whether they could meet up.
Austin's life, she claimed, was filled with "light" and that he committed himself "to helping others."
Author and therapist Aundi Kolber believes that Austin's honesty attracted people to him since he did not cover his personal struggles.
"He wanted people to know that they were loved. He had this way of being both witty and tender, which was such a great combination," she said.
Robert Vore, a therapist in the Atlanta area and co-host of the "CXMH" podcast on mental health and faith with Oxhandler, said he would miss his friend's "relentless belief in other people and his laughter."
Austin co-hosted the "CXMH" podcast for roughly a season and a half, and he appeared in a guest episode in 2018 to discuss his book, "Catching Your Breath." Austin, Vore, and Oxhandler spent much of their time laughing and enjoying each other's company, in addition to discussing mental illness and self-care.
"He had one of the biggest hearts I had ever encountered, especially for people going through hard times," said Vore who also wrote a blog tribute for Austin.
Austin has two children and a wife. Arrangements for his funeral are still being made. Those who want to support the late author's family can do so by giving to a GoFundMe account that has been created to help them.
