My beautiful son, the light of my life, has decided to end his earthly struggle today and is now with God.

Speaking later, Madsen described the shock he felt upon learning of his son’s death. He recalled the last message he received from Hudson: “I love you dad.” The actor said he had not noticed clear signs of depression and believed his son had been looking forward to the future.

Hudson had served in the U.S. Army, including a deployment to Afghanistan between August 2018 and January 2019. According to his father, he struggled after returning from service, particularly after experiencing ridicule for seeking therapy — a step meant to support his mental health.