Special Guest Speaker: David Magee

Sunday, August 17, 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

PRUMC

Join us for a powerful day with David Magee, best-selling author, award-winning columnist, and national speaker on mental health, addiction, and family well-being. Drawing from his own family’s journey—including his personal recovery from addiction, the heartbreaking loss of his son to an overdose, and his daughter’s battle with an eating disorder—Magee brings a message of honesty, healing, and hope.

Through his books (Dear William, Things Have Changed) and public speaking, Magee has become a trusted voice for parents, educators, and students navigating today’s mental health crisis. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear his compassionate, practical insights across all generations.

10:00 am – Forum in Harp Center
“Things Have Changed: What Every Parent (and Caregiver) Should Know to Raise a Healthy Child” – David shares insights for raising resilient kids in a world full of pressure, uncertainty, and risk.

12:30 pm – Q&A in Grace Hall
Join David at reserved tables during our congregational luncheon to ask questions and go deeper into this vital conversation.

5:00 pm – 1|99 in Harp Center
David speaks to our youth for their fall kickoff, Reset. Youth groups from across North Georgia are invited to be part of this special evening of truth, encouragement, and new beginnings.

ABOUT DAVID

David Magee is an inspirational speaker on student, family and community well-being, a podcast host, and the bestselling author of the award-winning book Dear William: A Father’s Memoir of Addiction, Recovery, Love and Loss. Featured on CBS Mornings, Dear William is a Publisher’s Weeklynational bestseller, a Best Book of the South 2021 (Reckon), and receiving a Starred Review fromKirkus. It's in development for film by director Andrew Hyatt (The Blind; Sight).

David's guide book Things Have Changed: What Every Parent (and Educator) Should Know About the Student Mental Health, Substance Misuse Crisis published in August 2023, is an expansion of the popular mental health and substance misuse talk he delivers to parents.

David is a sought-after speaker in communities, companies, schools, universities nationwide, inspirationally addressing mental health resiliency and recovery, and finding lasting joy and purpose. His message about what is often a difficult topic is well-received by audiences because it is relatable, inspirational and applicable.

He's a creator of the William Magee Institute for Student Wellbeing at the University of Mississippi. The Magee Institute is named after David's late son, William, who died of an accidental drug overdose. 

In addition to the Magee Institute, David helped inspire and create theWilliam Magee Center for Wellness Education at the University of Mississippi, which focuses on helping students on campus with alcohol and other drug education and support.

David has been a daily newspaper publisher, a media company president, an award-winning columnist for newspapers andNewsweek, a small business owner, a regular guest on CNBC, and once hosted a national cable TV and radio program — The David Magee Show.

He is the author of a dozen books including How Toyota Became #1(Penguin), named a Top 10 Business Book of the Year from the American Library Association, andThe Education of Mr. Mayfield, a best book of the South (2009). Other books include The John Deere Way (Wiley) and Playing to Win: Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys (Random).