Mychal Threets, the host of the READING RAINBOW revival show, recently checked himself into a mental health hospital.
“I am not okay,” he said. “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 that he will always be grateful to those who have loved him and helped him.
“Thank you for your care. I will always love you,” he addressed them.
Threets has been candid about mental health advocacy and says he has been aware of his mental health issues since he was 8 years old.
In 2024, he left his librarian position at Fairfield Civic Center Library in Solano County, California, due to his mental health, The Grio reported. The READING RAINBOW revival came out in 2025.
Related: READING RAINBOW LIVE Reboot Premieres Without LeVar Burton
Threets became famous when he shared his love for books and libraries on Instagram and TikTok during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The library is a place where everyone belongs,” he wrote when he left the library. “This means that sometimes people visit us on their worst days. And on their worst days they take it out on library staff…we lean on one another, we support one another.”
In April, Threets told NBC Bay Area that in 2024, he planned on taking his life. At the time, he also admitted that he was still struggling.
“I was just really struggling in life, struggling at work for the first time, just started feeling burnt out,” he said. “And I think my plan was, honestly, to leave the world at that time
When he took up the role as the new READING RAINBOW host, he was excited.
“I was raised on READING RAINBOW. LeVar Burton is my hero. I am a reader, I am a librarian because LeVar Burton and READING RAINBOW so powerfully made us believe we belong in books, we belong everywhere,” he said.
When he worked at Fairfield, he helped get SolanoConnex mental health kiosks installed in the library’s branches. The kiosks connect patrons to mental and emotional health services, such as those to treat substance abuse, depression and anxiety.
In 2024, he won the I Love My Library award out of 1,400 other nominated librarians.
“Mychal’s contributions have had a transformative effect on our community,” one nominator wrote. “His devotion, innovation, and impact have elevated our library to new heights, cementing its role as a center for growth, learning, and inclusivity.”
Please pray for Threets’ wellbeing.
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