Dan Crenshaw Reaches Out to Pete Davidson Amidst Mental Health Crisis

The holidays can be difficult for anyone, but especially for those who may already suffer from some sort of mental illness. SNL cast member Pete Davidson, who garnered attention last month over jokes he made about former Navy SEAL and now Congressman-elect Dan Crenshaw, knows it all too well. Following an alarming post on Instagram from Davidson, Crenshaw reached out to the struggling actor to offer support.

40 million Americans struggle with anxiety and depression each year.

Davidson, 25, posted last week on his since-deleted Instagram account that “I really don’t want to be on this earth anymore. I’m doing my best to stay here for you but I actually don’t know how much longer i can last. all I’ve ever tried to do was help people. just remember I told you so.”

Crenshaw, who brushed off Davidson‘s comments last month and even appeared on the following week’s episode of “Saturday Night Live,” saw the dark post and picked up the phone to call him.

“I talked to him personally,” Crenshaw said of his conversation with Davidson over the weekend. “We don’t go back very far. We’re not good friends. But, I think he appreciated hearing from me. I told him everyone had a purpose in this world. God put you here for a reason. It’s your job to find that purpose. And you should live that way.”

Crenshaw said he told Davidson, “Know you have value. Especially a guy like that: sometimes he makes people laugh. Sometimes makes peopled mad. But he makes people laugh a lot. It was a good conversation.”

Producer Lorne Michaels has since pulled Davidson off the show for the time being so that he can get the mental help he needs.

Pete Davidson’s father was a New York City firefighter who died while responding to the attacks at the World Trade Center on 9/11.

Davidson has also spoken publicly about his struggles with Borderline Personality Disorder.

While Davidson’s struggles with mental illness are likely far from over, it’s a great reminder of how much a phone call to remind someone that they matter can mean at a critical time.

Let’s all pray that Pete Davidson gets the help he needs.