Free Republic

... Johnnie Carl, 57, shot himself to death in the pre-dawn hours Friday in a basement bathroom, leaving behind both the manic-depression that tortured him but also the church, community and family that adored him. "He was such an incredible, caring person," Linda Carl said Friday, her words fighting her tears. "He never felt he was worthy of all the praise he got. He would be totally amazed and disbelieving of what people are saying about him now." ...[snip]Carl spoke openly about his illness, according to friends and colleagues, many of whom expressed sadness - but not surprise - at...

Report: Shots Fired In Crystal Cathedral GARDEN GROVE — A gunman fired shots inside the Crystal Cathedral on Thursday, police said, but it wasn't immediately known if anyone was injured. The shooting happened about 4:45 p.m., said police Lt. Paul Prince. He said people within the cathedral grounds in Orange County were able to leave unharmed. The gunman, meanwhile, was believed to be loose somewhere on the cathedral grounds. Police quickly sealed off the area "It is a fluid situation. We have officers on scene," Prince said. The shooting took place shortly before two scheduled presentations of the world-famous cathedral's...

Here is a sad UPDATE, from www.crystalcathedral.org: Press Release Friday, December 17, 2004 Garden Grove, California Dr. & Mrs. Robert H. Schuller are deeply saddened this morning to learn that Crystal Cathedral Orchestra conductor, Johnnie Carl, 57 years old, has taken his life. Mr. Carl has been in the employment of the Crystal Cathedral for nearly 30 years and is internationally renowned as a conductor and as a composer and arranger of over 3,500 musical pieces. “Johnnie was a beloved member of our church family and close personal friend,” said Dr. Schuller. “He was a creative genius whose beautiful arrangements...