During a board meeting this week, Dr Ergun Caner, president of Brewton-Parker College in Mount Vernon, Georgia, has announced his resignation due to his inability to cope after his son's tragic death.
According to The Christian Post, his 15-year old son Braxton Caner committed suicide last July of 2014. Dr Caner immediately went back to work a week after his son's death, but the work took its toll on his health.
"In July, my fifteen-year old son Braxton committed suicide. I was back to work a week later because, frankly, that's all I knew to do. The subsequent result was my hospitalisation in November. A heart catheterisation, the removal of seven pints of fluid and all the tests in the world can't resolve this one issue," Dr Caner told the school's board of trustees.
After six months of trying to cope, Dr Caner admitted that he is broken and he cannot get over his son's death.
"Brewton-Parker College cannot become a healthy, growing and stable college under the leadership of a man who is broken. And I am admitting to you that I am broken. I can't get over his death, and I am not sure I want to. I do know that I cannot muster the fight needed to be the leader of our college. My family and my heart need healing, and you deserve better," said Caner.
"Therefore, I am resigning as President, so I can go back to Texas and heal with my wife and ten year old son, Drake. It is one thing to lead a college through a crisis, but this position demands a person's full attention and full strength. At the moment, I have neither. When Braxton died, a part of me died as well," he added.
The Christian Post reports that under his leadership, over 100 students were saved during a college activity. Dr Caner also managed to balance the school's budget and get the Christian college out of debt.
After hearing his decision, the board of trustees immediately convened and gave their support to his decision.
"The Board of Trustees of Brewton-Parker College hereby express our thanks and appreciation for Dr Ergun Caner's service; and ... pray for God's blessing and restoration for Dr Caner and his family as they move forward through a time of personal tragedy and healing; and for Dr Caner much success in his future endeavors," said a statement released by the college.
