NEEDTOBREATHE’s Bear Rinehart Responds to Brother Bo’s Allegations of Childhood Sexual Abuse

NEEDTOBREATHE‘s Bear Rinehart is talking out following allegations of early life abuse made through his brother Bo Rinehart.

On Thursday (June 12), 43-year-old Bo, the previous guitarist for NEEDTOBREATHE, shared a commentary on social media alleging that he used to be sexually abused through more than one family all through his early life, together with his used brother Endure, 44, the rock band’s top singer.

“This is Bo. I am an alcoholic. I am a sinner, but I am a believer. I believe in God’s grace, and I believe that his mercy has shown that he is consistent, even though we don’t deserve it,” Bo wrote on Instagram. “I am a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. I’ve been sexually abused by a Camp counselor. I’ve been sexually, physically and emotionally abused by my brother. And I’ve been abused by my youth pastor.”

He persevered, “I believe that God has bigger plans for me and part of those plans are telling my story because it’s so hard for anyone to tell stories like these. Even when my faith has been crushed, I know that God still has provisions for me. If you’re out there and you’re thinking, nothing can be done, no one can help, there’s no way out… I’m with you… but I believe in a God who always finds a way. Don’t give up and don’t lose hope.”

Bo, who left NEEDTOBREATHE in 2020, then shared a photograph of Endure with the caption “Sexual Abuser” in a since-deleted Instagram Tale, in keeping with Relevant Magazine.

On Saturday (June 14), Endure spoke back to his brother’s allegations with a long publish at the Instagram account for Wilder Logs, his solo musical mission out of doors of NEEDTOBREATHE.

“I feel the need to comment on the deeply hurtful and misleading accusations that my brother Bo made the other night on social media,” Endure wrote. “I love Bo deeply and I always will. Since his departure from the band over five years ago, we have done everything in our power to treat him with respect and privacy. I would never choose to disparage him, especially at a time where he is clearly in pain. But as a father and husband, I must protect my family from claims that misrepresent the truth.”

He persevered, “Until now, I had chosen to not share this publicly — not because I’m ashamed, but because I’ve wanted to protect my family. I have three young boys, and I wanted them to hear about my story from me directly, when the time is right and not through social media or online speculation. Bo’s post has now made it impossible for me to remain private about this period of our childhood any longer. I can only hope that God has a plan for this down the road. I have always respected Bo’s right to speak about his own story, but I cannot allow him to misrepresent mine.”

Endure went on to say that “my brother and I were both sexually abused at the age of 8 and 6 by a teenage counselor” at a Christian camp the place they grew up in South Carolina. “Neither of us received support for these events until well into adulthood and were both left to navigate the rest of childhood and adolescence with deep pain and confusion,” the musician wrote, including that he then “found freedom” next counseling and aid from family members.

“Bo’s recent accusation of me conflates our shared experience of abuse with a childhood incident he misrepresents,” Endure persevered. “While going through a two day intensive counseling session with Bo five years ago, I learned that he was hurt by things that happened in our early teen years as well. At that counseling session I took full responsibility for any part I played in that pain. We processed those moments of shared trauma in detail and left with an understanding that we were two young boys trying to cope with the unimaginable. To now label me an abuser in such a heartless way is not only deeply painful, but is also wildly misleading and feels intentionally harmful.”

Endure concluded his message through expressing hope that he and Bo can reconcile sooner or later. “I truly do pray for this healing,” he wrote. “I believe that all of us are broke and in need of a savior. My brother and I are no different.”

Billboard has reached out to NEEDTOBREATHE’s representatives for additional remark.

In a 2023 interview with People, Bo spread out about coming to phrases along with his revel in of sexual abuse as an grownup, revealing that it used to be perpetrated through 3 other folks. He didn’t lend additional main points.

“It takes time,” Bo mentioned on the date. “At some point in our lives, we get to this stage — and it’s generally with survivors of childhood sexual abuse, it’s in their late 30s or early 40s — where it starts to surface whether you want it to or not. You’ll start to see how your life’s kind of breaking down.”

In the event you or any person you understand has skilled sexual attack, you’ll name the Nationwide Sexual Attack Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).