Jake McClain Driver was a teenager when he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He struggled with the mental illness for years before taking his life at the age of 26. Now, his father, Mickey Driver, a Smithville native, is giving a chilling, first-person account of Jake’s story in a new book titled The Book of Whispers: A Father and Son’s Battle with Bipolar Disorder.
Mickey will autograph copies of the book at Justin Potter Library in Smithville on August 17 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Copies of the book will be available for a $10.00 donation, cash or check, to Haven of Hope Counseling in Smithville.
Far more than a memoir of a grieving father who lost his son to mental illness, the book provides an up-close look at the problems of caregivers as they cope with hospitals, doctors, educators and law enforcement in their quest to find help for loved ones suffering from an insidious, and often fatal, disease.
The book chronicles Jake’s long battle with bipolar disorder, but it also tells the story of Mickey as he valiantly tries to save his talented, intelligent son who is on a collision course with disaster. The book includes a series of poems written by Jake, which he called The Book of Whispers. Through his poetry, Jake shares his own personal experience as he battles the demons and pain of bipolar disorder.
“I told this story to my good friend Beverly Freeman who wrote the book,” Mickey says. “It was difficult to talk about the heartbreaking events and crisis my son suffered with bipolar disorder. “It is my fervent hope that the book will make a difference to others who are fighting to survive the ravages of mental illness—their own or that of a loved one.”
Mickey was a member of the public affairs team at Chevron for 35 years and at the time of Jake’s death was a key company spokesperson. In the book, he shares his struggle to cope with the pressures of work while dealing with the daily challenges of being a caregiver for his mentally ill son. He also describes his long journey to recovery as the parent of a child who has committed suicide.
The book concludes with his advice to others who are on a similar journey and a message of love and hope. The Book of Whispers: A Father and Son’s Battle with Bipolar Disorder is available in print and Kindle versions on Amazon and in print on Barnes and Noble websites. All profits from the sale of the book benefit mental health organizations. In DeKalb County, proceeds will be given to Haven of Hope Counseling. More information is available at www.thebookofwhispers.com, or www.Facebook.com/thebookofwhispers.
Archived News & Obituaries