Following the tragic death of golf pro Grayson Murray, his parents have confirmed that the two-time PGA Tour winner “took his own life.”
In a statement after Grayson’s untimely death on Saturday, May 25, Eric and Terry Murray said via BBC News: “We have spent the last 24 hours trying to come to terms with the fact that our son is gone. It’s surreal that we not only have to admit it to ourselves, but that we also have to acknowledge it to the world. It’s a nightmare. We have so many questions that have no answers. But one. Was Grayson loved? The answer is yes. By us, his brother Cameron, his sister Erica, all of his extended family, by his friends, by his fellow players and – it seems – by many of you who are reading this. He was loved and he will be missed.”
The statement continued: “We would like to thank the PGA Tour and the entire world of golf for the outpouring of support. Life wasn’t always easy for Grayson, and although he took his own life, we know he rests peacefully now. Please respect our privacy as we work through this incredible tragedy, and please honor Grayson by being kind to one another. If that becomes his legacy, we could ask for nothing else.”
Fans are now remembering a poignant message about mental health that Grayson shared just months before his death. Back in January, after his victory at the Sony Open in Hawaii, Murray spoke to reporters and made a heartbreaking admission about his mental health and the support he received from his parents.
“My parents have been through hell and back basically for the last six years with me fighting some mental stuff,” he said. “And it’s not easy on me and the people around me that love me. They don’t like to see me down and they’ve been my No. 1 supporters. Everyone has their battles. And sometimes people are able to hide them and function, and sometimes you’re not. I think our society now is getting better about accepting that, you know, it’s OK to not be OK. I’m not ashamed that I go through depression and anxiety. I know I’ve helped people out in the past just through my social media DMs – people messaging me – and I can use my platform to continue to help with things like that.”
Fans have taken to social media to remember Grayson for his talent and strength, praising him for speaking out about his struggles. Prior to his death, Murray was engaged to be married, had embraced Christianity, and had been appointed to the 16-member Player Advisory Council.
U.S. Open champion and Murray’s friend of 20 years, Webb Simpson, also spoke about the huge loss. Reflecting on Murray’s Christian faith, Simpson said, “He has really explored his faith over the years, and it seems like the last six months to eight months, he had really started committing his life to Christ and trying to honor Christ with his life. It definitely seemed like there was more of a lightness to him in a good way over these past few months when I would see him.”
Another golfer, Peter Malnati, referenced Murray’s personal battles and broke down in tears during an interview with CBS Sports’ Amanda Balionis. “You know, we’re so competitive, so competitive out here – we all want to beat each other,” Malnati said. “And then something like this happens and you realize that we’re all just humans. This is just a really, really hard day, because you look at Grayson and you see in him someone who has visibly and outwardly struggled in the past – and he’s been open about it. And you see him kinda get his life back to a place where he’s feeling good about things… It’s just so sad. I was with him yesterday and he was playing great – his game is so good, he’s so good at golf.”
Our thoughts continue to go out to Murray’s family, friends, and fans during this difficult time.
