Allegations of Abuse from Needtobreathe’s Bear Rinehart

Bear Rinehart, the lead singer of Needtobreathe, recently revealed troubling allegations of sexual abuse, claiming that a Christian camp counselor abused him and his younger brother, Beau, when they were kids. This revelation follows a prior assertion that Beau had also abused him.

“I am a survivor of sexual abuse as a child,” said Beau, who is now 43. He shared his experiences on social media, detailing that he was not only abused by a camp counselor but also suffered sexual, physical, and emotional abuse from his siblings.

Beau noted that despite his struggles with faith, he still believes that there is a divine plan for him.

In a related social media post, Beau shared a photo of a bear with “sexual abuser” written across its chest. He has publicly identified himself as an alcoholic and a Christian.

Bear responded to the accusations, asserting that he himself had been a victim of a counselor at the camp, where he was just 8 years old, and had been inappropriately touched at a very young age by an older teenage counselor.

“Neither of us supported these events until we became adults,” Bear explained, indicating that they grew up navigating life with pain and confusion.

Bear expressed his feelings about Beau’s accusations, labeling them as “deeply hurt and misleading.” He revealed that they attended a counseling session together five years ago, where Beau shared traumas he had faced since his early teens. Despite their troubled past, Bear stated he takes full responsibility for his part in their shared pain and believed they reached an understanding during that session.

“Now, labeling my abuser in such a heartless way is not only deeply painful, but also extremely misleading and intentionally harmful,” he said.

As a father to three young boys, Bear mentioned that he had hesitated to disclose his past abuses out of concern for his family’s safety. However, the public nature of his brother’s revelations forced his hand, prompting him to share his story directly.

“I wanted them to hear about my story directly when the time was right, not through social media or online speculation,” he noted.

Despite the discord, Bear still hopes for reconciliation with Beau, urging that only God can truly provide a path forward.

“Even after all this, I still look forward to reconciliation with my brother,” he stated.

The Rinehart brothers co-founded Needtobreathe in 1998, well-known for blending Christian themes with rock music, even though they didn’t categorize themselves strictly as a Christian band. They have released ten albums, collaborated with Taylor Swift, and have received numerous awards including a Grammy nomination and 15 Dove Awards.

Both brothers, raised in a pastor’s household, have traditionally been open about their faith. Beau departed from the band in 2020 and later commenced his solo career under the name Coy Roy.

“Our brother Beau decided to leave Needtobreathe. His visual and musical artistry has always been courageous and respected,” was a statement released by the band at that time.

After Beau’s exit, Tyler Burkum from Audio Adrenaline temporarily filled his role within the band.