Golfer Grayson Murray’s Parents Speak Out After His Death by Suicide: ‘It’s a Nightmare and It Doesn’t Stop’

The two-time PGA tour winner died last May after withdrawing from a tournament in Texas

Grayson Murray of The United States plays his second shot on the 10th hole during the first round of the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on May 16, 2024
Photo:

David Cannon/Getty

Nine months after the death of their son Grayson Murray, the pro golfer’s parents are speaking out.

In an interview on the Today show Monday, Feb. 24
, Eric and Terry Murray shared memories of the two-time PGA Tour winner, who died by suicide at the age of 30 last May — and opened up about their plans to continue his legacy.

“It’s a nightmare and it doesn’t stop,” Eric Murray told Today co-host Carson Daly.

The golfer struggled with his mental health for years — he checked in to rehab in 2021 for alcohol abuse and he had also sought help for anxiety and depression, his parents said.

Yet on the road, he would “drink and gamble,” Terry added, while putting on a “happy face” while on the tour.

“Our house became his safe haven,” she said. “If he was depressed he would go into his room and he wouldn’t come out for two or three days.”

Last year, Grayson reached new heights in his golf career, winning the Sony Open in Hawaii in January and earning a coveted invitation to the Masters.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Grayson Murray
Grayson Murray.

Andrew Redington/Getty

His family rallied behind the athlete, showing up at the iconic tournament in Augusta, Georgia last April to support him.

But one month later, one day after withdrawing from the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, the golf world was stunned to learn that Grayson had taken his own life.

“I got a call telling me that he had been found deceased,” Terry said. “It’s tough.”

Now, as they move forward amid their grief, the parents are carrying on their son’s dream to help others, with the launch of the Grayson Murray Foundation.

The foundation will help those who struggle the same way Grayson did, they said, echoing Murray's lifelong innate ability to empathize with others.

“He absolutely wanted to get better,” Terry said.

Eric added, “Grayson couldn’t understand why people couldn’t offer grace. He tried to get better, he did everything he could.”

You Might Like
Comments
All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. PEOPLE does not endorse the opinions and views shared by readers in our comment sections.

Related Articles