James Arthur Ray, a self-help guru who was convicted of negligent homicide after the deaths of three people during a 2009 sweat lodge retreat, has died at the age of 67. Ray's brother John confirmed the news with a post on Ray's social media accounts, which stated his passing was both sudden and unexpected. Despite the personal accolades sung by family, Ray's legacy is marred by the tragedy that occurred under his guidance in Sedona, Arizona.
In 2009, the incident at Angel Valley Retreat Center made national headlines when participants Kirby Brown, 38, James Shore, 40, and Liz Neuman, 49, lost their lives due to heatstroke and ensuing complications after attending Ray's Spiritual Warrior retreat. According to a 12News report, Brown and Shore died on the same day of the ceremony, while Neuman succumbed to her injuries nine days later in a hospital in Flagstaff.
Ray, who once featured prominently on shows such as Oprah Winfrey's and in the self-help documentary "The Secret," fell from grace swiftly after the tragic event. Found guilty in 2011, he was sentenced to two years in prison for his role in the incident. After his release, he tried to return to self-help work by creating motivational content and seeking to restore his civil rights, but his past continued to follow him.
SEEK Safely, a charitable organization formed by Brown's family in wake of her death, released a statement that acknowledged Ray's passing with "mixed emotion." Their statement, posted on their website, offered sympathy for Ray's family but did not shy away from critiquing his lasting impact: “While there could be some small measure of relief in knowing that Ray will no longer be able to harm anyone, it is, truly, very little comfort. It became clear to us early on after Kirby’s passing that Ray was just one operator in a multi-billion dollar per year industry built on the exploitation of those who would improve their lives and find fulfillment,” as detailed in a statement obtained by AZFamily.
