Fans are shocked and saddened by the death of Christian writer Rachel Held Evans

Evans, a native of Dayton, Tennessee, and known for her progressive Christian voice, died Saturday morning after a brief illness, according to her husband, Dan Evans, who announced the news of his death on his website.

"All this experience is surreal.I still hope it will be a nightmare that will wake me up .. I have the impression of telling the story of someone else." "said Dan Evans.

"I can not express all the support that this represents for us and our children – to all the people who prayed, called, sent an SMS, drove, took the plane, gave of themselves physically and financially to ease that burden: Thank you, we are privileged, Rachel's presence in this world was a gift to all of us and her work will survive for a long time. "

Rachel Held Evans, speaker and writer, is known for her blog and her many bestsellers, including "Faith Unraveled", "A Year of Biblical Femininity", "Searching for Sunday" and "Inspired".

In mid-April, Evans was put into a coma caused by medical reasons when doctors found that she was suffering from constant seizures while they were treating her for an infection. The news of his illness has resulted in an online fundraiser and an avalanche of prayers shared on social media with #PrayForRHE.

His condition worsened on Thursday morning, said Dan Evans in his Saturday message, announcing his death:

Rachel Held Evans, author of "Evolving Growing Up in Monkey Town," is located at the Rhea County Courthouse, site of the Scopes Monkey Trial, on July 19, 2010. Born in Dayton, Tennessee, grew up as that creationist and now embraces evolution. (Photo: Shelley Mays / The Tennessean)

"Rachel has experienced sudden and extreme changes in her vital signs," said Dan Evans. "The hospital team discovered significant swelling of his brain and took emergency measures to stabilize it.The team worked until Friday afternoon The swelling event caused serious damage and could not survive. "

Fans and other writers have turned to social media to share their grief and support for the Evans family.

"It is with a broken heart that I post this: my sweet friend Rachel passed away this morning, I will always be grateful for her friendship, her work and her love.Thank you for your prayers," said l & # 39; author and Pastor Nadia Bolz-Weber on Twitter. "We were able to surround her last night, we offered her our touch, our tears and our singing, I got her oil, she was and is still loved."