Washington Post Columnist Salutes PBS Documentary, Features My Son, Kevin Earley

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(7-1-22) Stories about the Ken Burn’s documentary, Hiding In Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness, being shown on PBS continue to appear. The Washington Post profiled my son, Kevin, in a Petula Dvorak column. 

Once reluctant, now he uses his full name to talk about mental illness

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Columnist  The Washington Post

June 30, 2022 at 3:19 p.m. EDT

He was known as “Mike” in his father’s book about mental illness and the hellish journey it was to access care in a dysfunctional system.

“Mike” was wrestled to the ground and Tasered.

“Mike” was receiving encrypted messages from an Oliver Stone movie.

“Mike” broke into someone’s home and took a bath.

“Mike” has “an incurable disease. He will never get better,” a doctor told Mike’s father, best-selling author (and former Washington Post reporter) Pete Earley.

He told the story of the devastating news in the documentary: “It’s unlikely he will ever be able to hold a job, he’ll ever marry, have kids. And there’s a high chance he’ll have an encounter with police, be arrested, may become homeless.”

But at the White House last week and on screens across America, he’s using his full name — Kevin Mike Earley. And he has a graduate degree, a job and a full, artistic life.

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The Importance of Hugs: My Son Writes About Camaraderie Among ‘Hiding In Plain Sight” Participants Who Told Their Stories

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Erik and Chris Ewers with fellow film participants, including Kevin, show tattoos.

(6-29-22) Part Two of Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness. the Ken Burns documentary shown this week on PBS stations, opened with me describing one of my first encounters with a psychiatrist after my son, Kevin, had a psychotic break while in college. The doctor’s warnings about his future were so bleak that I was devastated. Kevin laughed at them.

The highs and lows during Kevin’s six year journey to recovery are featured in this film by Erik and Christopher Loren Ewers. Most of the other young people interviewed in this brave documentary met face-to-face for the first time at a White House screening but the real celebration for them came this week in Billings, Montana. That’s where therapist Kee Dunning, who offers comforting and invaluable advice in the film, practices. She arranged a two night event at a local theater where standing room only crowds watched the documentary and asked cast members questions.

Here’s Kevin’s report about what happened.

Report from Billings Premier: Redemption and Friendships

By Kevin Earley

I am in awe to be included in the company of the courageous individuals whom I shared space with in the documentary and finally met in person in Billings, Montana during the past few days.

I was first interviewed by the Ewers brothers in what seems like ages ago.  I believe it was about three years ago, but it seems so much longer.  I have watched several of the preliminary edits of the film about mental illness they have been laboring over.  I contributed artwork, paintings, music, comics and a huge swath of my soul I poured into the making of the film.  I, along with many other brave individuals, left it all on the field during the making of this project.  I am honored that the filmmakers did our stories beyond justice.

It kinda felt like destiny meeting these people in person, like kindred spirits whom I have known before in another lifetime, like deja vu greeting them in person after watching so many iterations of the film.  I learned so much about myself by meeting them.

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PBS Documentary Difficult But Important To Watch. Part Two Tonight. So Proud Of My Son For Participating

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Kevin discusses his illness and recovery on PBS documentary last night. Tonight, part two.

(6-28-22) I’d watched snippets of Ken Burn’s PBS documentary, Hiding In Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness, but last night was the first time that I’d seen part one of the completed film.

Listening to youngsters talking about suicide, abuse, trauma, delusions, depression and peer pressure brought on by cruelty via social media was heartbreaking and, at time, brutal to watch.

But it is so important for us to listen to these young persons’ courageous voices, hear their cries for help, and get a glimpse into their worlds. We must not turn our heads or switch channels.

Tonight is the second part of this amazing documentary, airing on PBS, 9 pm EST. Last night, Kevin and I both were featured describing our experiences with his mental illness: bipolar disorder.

Patti and I will be watching tonight.  I hope you will too.

Ken Burn’s Documentary: Hiding In Plain Sight – Youth Mental Illness Premiers Tonight On PBS

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(6-27-22) Ken Burn’s Hiding In Plain Sight documentary about youth and mental illness premiers tonight on your local PBS station. 9 pm. EST and 8 CST.

Ken Burns Documentary: A Grade Schooler Describes Suicidal Thoughts, Others Addiction/Bipolar, All Brutally Honest & Ultimately Inspirational At White House Screening

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(6-23-22) Kevin and I were invited to the White House yesterday for an advance screening of the Ken Burn’s PBS documentary, Hiding in Plain Sight: Youth Mental Illness.

The four hour documentary will be shown in two segments and will premiere on June 27 and 28 on PBS. Check your local listings.  Both of us were interviewed for the film, which follows the mental health journeys of more than 20 young Americans, and features interviews with their parents, teachers, friends, health care providers, and mental health experts.

Dr. Jill Biden called the young people interviewed in the documentary “courageous.”

It’s been two years since film makers Erik Ewers and Christopher Loren Ewers, along with producer Julie Coffman, showed up at my office to interview us. At the time, the brothers were still deciding what direction a film about such a vast subject as mental illness would take. What could they do that hadn’t already been done? It wasn’t long before they zeroed in on the plight of young people. (Even though Kevin is older than most of the other participants, his first mental break happened when he was in his twenties.)

It proved to be the right choice.Click to continue…

Dementia, A Father, A Son, And The Long Goodbye

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(6-19-22)

A FATHER’S DAY GOODBYE

Published in THE WASHINGTON POST  on Sunday, June 22, 2014

 By Pete Earley    

Father’s Day found me with a man who often doesn’t remember who I am, although we have spent much of his 93 years together. My father has dementia.

Five years ago, I persuaded my parents to move from Spearfish, S.D., into a second house that my wife and I own that doubles as my office. Leaving a community where they were well-established was difficult. But they enjoyed seeing grandchildren, spent Saturdays at garage sales and played Upwords with me at lunch time. It was good.

I first noticed little things. Forgetfulness, confusing names. It’s part of aging, I thought.

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