LDS Church leader dies after traumatic brain injury

A leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church) died from a "traumatic brain injury," according to a news release from the church.

Elder W. Mark Bassett, 59, who died on Monday, May 11, was the Executive Director of the Missionary Department and oversaw missionary efforts across the globe, the new release stated.

The church did not release details on the incident that caused Bassett's injury, but said "the incident" occurred while he was with his family in St. George, Utah.

"Our love and prayers are with his dear wife Angela, his children, and his grandchildren during this difficult time," the church stated.

Bassett married his wife, Angela, in December 1989, and the couple had five children together, according to Bassett's bio page on the church's website.

Bassett speaks at event days before his death

Days before he died, Bassett spoke at a  devotional for missionaries, which was held at the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah, the church stated.

"Invite everyone to come – and do everything you can to help them enter this beautiful gate which leads to eternal life," Bassett said during the devotional.

Bassett has served as a General Authority Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since April 2, 2016, according to the LDS Church's website. He has served as a member of the church under the Brazil, North America Northeast, and North America Southeast Area Presidencies.

Julia Gomez is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers invasive species, space phenomena, scientific studies, natural disasters and trending news. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at [email protected].