The librarian-turned-television host Mychal Threets told fans he is “not okay” and will be checking into the hospital, but assured fans that he was safe.
Threets, who hosts “Reading Rainbow,” wrote on Threads on Monday, “I am not okay. Maybe I’ll never be okay. I’m seeking help. Going to the hospital tomorrow. In this moment I am safe. By God’s grace.”
He added, “No matter what happens to me I will always be thankful for the extraordinary people in my life who worry, who help me. Thank you for your care. I will always love you.”
He received support from his followers, including actress Yvette Nicole Brown, who responded, “If you need the help, maybe go tonight, friend.”
About two weeks ago, he posted a TikTok that had some concerned about his mental health, E! News reported.
In it he said, “If today is my last day in the land of the living, I just wanted to say I love you and I’m proud of you,” adding, “The world, the library is best with you in it. Thank you for staying.”
Entertainment Weekly said Threets, who goes by Mychal the Librarian, speaks frankly about his mental health, even leaving a job at a library citing his mental health.
“I was just really struggling in life, struggling at work for the first time, just started feeling burnt out,” he told KNTV. “And I think my plan was, honestly, to leave the world at that time. I planned to take my own life in March 2024, and I’m still struggling today, but it’s led to a life of just traveling all over the United States, and now, the resident librarian for PBS, PBS Kids, and also the host of ‘Reading Rainbow.’ ”
He also spoke about his depression and anxiety with People magazine earlier this year.
“I’m still a very introverted person,” he said. “I think because of what’s happened in life, I’ve become more extroverted. I’ve been more comfortable talking about the library, talking about library stories, talking about mental health, just because I love it all. But had I known all this was going to happen, I probably would’ve never started posting.”
“I still have hard days and I’d much rather be behind the scenes,” he said. “But for a chance to amplify libraries, amplify people’s stories — essentially, I serve almost as a narrator of library joy, and I’m honored to do it.”
Threets, who is the author of “I’m So Happy You’re Here: A Celebration of Library Joy,” has been hosting “Reading Rainbow” since PBS rebooted it in 2025. It previously aired from 1983 to 2006, with LeVar Burton as host, according to Entertainment Weekly.
Both Entertainment Weekly and E! News reached out to Threets for a comment but did not hear back.
Note: If you or someone you know is thinking of harming themselves, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides free support via the Lifeline by dialing 988. For more about risk factors and warning signs, visit the organization’s official website.
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