Darren Criss Mourns His 36-Year-Old Brother Chuck's Death: 'It Breaks My Heart'

Darren Criss took to Instagram Wednesday to share that he's mourning the death of his 36-year-old brother, musician Charles "Chuck" Criss.

The 35-year-old actor and singer revealed that his sibling died by suicide last month after a long battle with severe depression.

Darren posted a lengthy and emotional note accompanied by a series of photos featuring Chuck. He also shared snaps of his kids spending quality time with his late brother.

"It breaks my heart beyond measure to say that my beloved brother Charles has left us," Darren wrote. "Obviously this is a colossal shock. His loss leaves behind a debilitating fracture in the lives of his mother, his brother, his three small children, and their respective mothers."

After talking about how lovable Chuck was, Darren opened up about the musician's struggle with depression.

"The last several years were increasingly difficult for Chuck as he struggled to find stability during an unfortunate rough patch in his life," he recalled.

Darren said that though his brother vocally said he was fine, "it's crushing to say now that Chuck clearly had a severe depression welling up in him for some time, a depression that was only worsened by a lifelong struggle he had with expressing his feelings."

The "Glee" star also mentioned his brother's "all-too-incredible ability to conceal it."

"We will never know just how long he was fighting this war within himself, but last week, it consumed him fully, and he succumbed by taking his own life," Darren revealed.

The actor then urged everyone who is struggling with mental health to seek professional help, before adding, "It requires a much more complex consideration of where one's mind has to have been to go through something like this. Because whatever Chuck had, he must've had it really, really, bad."

"It's marvelous to know that those memories are plentiful, everlasting, and can never be taken away," Darren said in conclusion after praising his brother for being "vibrant, special, worldly, hilariously, insightful, gifted, intelligent, celebrated and adored."

On the work front, Chuck was a member of the rock band Freelance Whales, alongside Judah Dadone, Jacob Hyman, Chuck and Kevin Read. The band dropped its last music video, "Don't Just Sit There," in 2018.

Darren, on the other hand, hosted the TV show "The Queen Family Singalong," which premiered in November 2021.

If you have thoughts of suicide, confidential help is available for free at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Call 1-800-273-8255. The line is available 24 hours, every day.