Delilah Rene, the nationally syndicated radio host and the self-proclaimed “queen of sappy love songs,” announced she will be taking a break from the airwaves following her son's suicide.
In a Facebook post, Rene wrote that her son Zachariah, who she called “Zacky,” ended his life last Tuesday.
“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,” Rene wrote on Saturday.
She added that she will be taking a break as she copes.
“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 mean-time we'll be playing some of my favorite shows from the recent past,” she added.
Rene did not disclose Zachariah's age.
Her Facebook post has changed its banner to display the 24-hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline phone number 1-800-273-8255.
The radio host and mother to 13 children has previously suffered the loss of a child.
Sammy Young Dzolali Rene died from complications relating to sickle cell anemia in 2012.
Related: New Jersey Family to Sue After 12-Year-Old Daughter’s Suicide
“Delilah," initially syndicated as “Delilah After Dark,” is a call-in and request show where listeners can dedicate songs to their loved ones. It has been broadcast since 1996.
Rene, who has worked in radio for more than 30 years, was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2016.
Rene is the most listened to woman on U.S. radio with a show that is heard on more than 150 stations across the country, according to the Hall of Fame.
