Oxford author David Magee keynote speaker for Journey of Hope luncheon

Aug. 26—Known nationally for his business books and Ted Talks, Oxford native David Magee seemingly had it all before his beloved son William — who lettered in track at Ole Miss and attended Honors College — died of an accidental drug overdose in 2013, a year after graduation.

But it wasn't just William who was hurting at the time of his death.

"I had to go look at what happened in our family," Magee said. "How did what looked like a picture-perfect American family chasing the dream get completely shattered?"

Author of the critically acclaimed memoir, "Dear William," Magee will be the keynote speaker at this year's Journey of Hope luncheon, set for Tuesday, Sept. 20, at the Jackson Convention Complex.

The program will benefit Catholic Charities, Inc. of Jackson.

Much more than simply a tribute to his late son, "Dear William" is a brutally honest look at a family that had been in crisis for many years.

The long, hard gaze into the mirror began with Magee himself, who was adopted and unaware of his birth parents' identity until well into adulthood.

"I lived in a great life in this wonderful university town," Magee said of Oxford. "We knew everyone and could walk to the Square. But my house was very dark because there was a lot of depression and emotional pain inside me."

Magee said he didn't even know who he was anymore.

"The lack of sense of identity was something I didn't deal with well," he said. "I tried to pretend it wasn't there with alcohol and prescription Adderall."

In addition to losing William, Magee and his wife, Kent, nearly lost their son Hudson to an overdose. Magee's infidelity led to divorce before he and Kent remarried. But as facing their fears put them on a successful path to recovery and healing, Magee consulted his family about going public with everything they'd gone through in hopes of benefitting those in crisis.

"It took some years, but I had their blessing to do it — Kent, Hudson, and our daughter Mary Halley," he said. "The strength of 'Dear William' is not that we lost him, but that we found joy and recovery together. The book applies to families who feel like they've lost something; they can get joy beyond what they ever imagined. It also applies to communities. We look around and see despair, but it is doable. You must have a plan and work hard to execute it."

What would Magee, who is helping launch the William Magee Institute for Student Well Being at Ole Miss, tell his 21-year-old self?

"To believe in yourself," he said. "The self-doubt is so poisonous. When you're going through a hard time, it's easy to point fingers at others."

Rather than having what he called a strong faith foundation and a belief in himself, Magee was full of self-doubt.

That's a painful way to live.

"I wish I could tell that version of me to get some counseling," he said. "I could have saved myself and my family a lot of pain and grief."

Magee will have a strong message for parents at the Journey of Hope luncheon.

"Their own fears will often get in the way of raising their kids," he said. "We want our children to have the best of everything. If warning signs flare up, the parents may fear that if they do ask for help — such as counseling — they may be labelled."

It's important, Magee said, to expose kids to elements in life that will help them like education and faith.

"We must do a better job of educating parents in navigating that path," he said.