Reading Rainbow host Mychal Threets has returned to social media with an update after spending five days in the hospital, telling followers that he is safe and hopeful even though he does not consider himself okay yet.
The 36-year-old librarian and literacy advocate described the stay as a “five-day psychiatric hold” in a video shared August 22. According to PEOPLE, he thanked the doctors, nurses and mental health workers who cared for him and told them, “You saved my life.”
Threets had told followers on August 17 that he was “not OK” and planned to go to a hospital to seek help. He also emphasized at the time that he was safe and expressed gratitude for the people supporting him.
Threets said getting to a place where he feels okay will take time, while offering a direct update to the people who had been worried about him.
Threets Says He Is ‘Not OK’ but Still Has Hope
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In his latest video, Threets apologized for worrying people and said he had just returned from five days in the hospital. “I haven’t been OK for what feels like a very, very long time,” he said. “I am not OK, but I have hope I will get to OK.”
Threets stressed that he did not expect an immediate recovery, saying it was “gonna take a long time” before he felt okay. He then thanked the medical professionals who had treated him, along with his family, friends and followers.
He also returned to one of the phrases he has used while discussing difficult periods: “Three, six, nine, it’s OK to not be fine.” Threets told viewers that people struggle because they are human and “doing our best,” before thanking them for staying.
He Stepped Away From an Upcoming TEDxSanDiego Appearance
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One day before Threets shared his own post-hospital update, TEDxSanDiego announced that he would no longer participate in its August 27 event, which is built around the theme of “JOY.”
“Mychal has shared publicly that he is taking time to focus on his health and well-being,” organizers wrote in a joint Instagram post with Threets, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. “We fully support his decision to step away and get the care he needs.”
Author Kelly Yang also gave followers an update on August 21 after speaking with Threets. Yang said he had left the hospital and was taking things “one step at a time,” adding that she was proud of him. She also noted that he was not checking social media at the time.
Threets’ ‘Reading Rainbow’ Revival Is Expanding
Threets became widely known online through videos celebrating libraries, books and what he calls “library joy.” He worked his way from shelving books at the Fairfield Civic Center Library in California to becoming supervising librarian at the same branch, before leaving his Solano County Library position in 2024 and later becoming PBS’ first resident librarian.
His profile grew further when he was chosen to host the digital revival of Reading Rainbow, succeeding LeVar Burton, who hosted the original children’s literacy series from 1983 to 2006.
The revived Reading Rainbow debuted in October 2025 with four episodes released through Sony Pictures Television’s Kidzuko YouTube channel. Those initial installments generated nearly 5 million views.
Sony Pictures Television announced in February 2026 that it had ordered 24 additional episodes with Threets returning as host. The expanded run will continue featuring children’s books and celebrity guests, although a premiere date for the new episodes has not yet been announced.