MarShawn McCarrel was one of the leading voices in the Black Lives Matter movement. He helped to organize protests in Ohio following the killings of unarmed Black men at the hands of police. McCarrel led the charge in his state after the untimely deaths of Black males such as Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, Eric Garner and John Crawford III, who was killed while holding a toy gun inside a Wal-Mart in Beavercreek, Ohio.
McCarrel also founded a mentorship program called Pursuing Our Dreams to help the youth, and he also helped to feed the homeless with his Feed the Streets campaign.
But McCarrel was apparently suffering from deep issues of depression. On Feb. 8, McCarrel reportedly shot himself outside of the Ohio statehouse. Hours before his body was found, McCarrel wrote on a Facebook post, “My demons won today. I’m sorry.” He also hinted at his depression and desires on his Twitter account. On Feb. 5, McCarrel posted, “I still have nightmares in paradise.”
The post came one day after McCarrel attended the NAACP Image Awards on Friday. He was recognized by Radio One as a “Hometown Champion” for his activism and community efforts and received two plane tickets and passes to the ceremony. At the event, he was able to rub shoulders with Hollywood elite, such as Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, Taraji P. Henson, and Michael B. Jordan. However, the glamour of a trip to Hollywood was not enough to save McCarrel from his depression.
Depression in men is a deep issue that often is ignored in the Black community. Oftentimes, Black men are told to remain tough and to never show signs of any weakness. But deep down, Black men should have a time to embrace vulnerability and problems in a healthy manner.
The Ohio Student Association has developed a fund to help support McCarrel’s family.
