“Dancing UPS Guy” writes book to combat depression

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Did you know that a Lubbock man is a TikTok influencer with millions of followers?

You all know him as the “dancing UPS guy.”

Russell Butler will be the first to tell you, “I’m a UPS man who loves to spread love, joy and light.”

You just have to smile when you watch him doing what he loves: dancing.

But there is a much more important reason why we are focusing on him in this Healthwise segment.

Butler is the author of a book called “Battling Depression.”

If you watch his videos, you might think he is the happiest person in the world.

His new book, however, tells a more revealing story.

As a teenager and eleventh-grader at Monterey High School in Lubbock, the school’s 1998 yearbook mentions him singing and dancing.

In his final year of school in 1999, he devoted an entire page to it. The headline reads: “Russell Butler shows off his dance moves at the third annual rock festival.”

Today, at 42, he is extremely successful on TikTok.

But his book reveals a struggle he has been fighting since high school: he lives with depression.

He says: “The fight is not over. It’s just a matter of how you handle it, how you deal with it. Every day is a new day for me and that’s how I wake up. I wake up every day and I’m thankful to God that I’m still here.”

Butler speaks openly about therapy. He says the first step is knowing you need help.

“I believe the battle with depression is more than just a mental battle,” he said. “I believe it’s a spiritual battle. The darkness is real and if you are unable to deal with it on your own, seek the help you need. Ask for help.”

But the book isn’t just about his own struggle. It tells the story of a golden boy in Monterey who was as smart as he was athletic.

His name was Heath Stewart, a childhood friend and roommate after high school.

Ten years later, Stewart took his own life. The suicide shocked the community and devastated Butler. He still can’t believe that someone he thought had everything for him was secretly battling depression.

A chapter in Butler’s book is devoted to the mystery and tragedy of Stewart’s suicide.

Butler adds: “The message behind everything I do is that there is hope today. You have to look for it.”

He’s hoping for a big crowd this Saturday at KK’s Corner Mall where his book will be on display. For him, it will be more than just a book signing.

He explains: “If you want to tell me your story, I would love to hear it. Life is hard. Whatever you are going through, there is hope.”

His book will also be available at KK. He will be there for a meet and greet from 11am to 3pm.

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