Columbia native Craig Melvin’s new book is story of ‘redemption ... overcoming odds’
Craig Melvin gets enthusiastic when he talks about Columbia.
Even though he primarily works in New York and lives in Connecticut these days, it’s clear that Melvin’s South Carolina hometown remains a sacred place for the award-winning journalist and co-host of NBC’s “Today” show.
But Melvin’s reverence doesn’t stop him from critically examining his youth in Columbia and the family issues he’s dealt with all of his life — specifically his father’s battles with alcoholism and addiction.
Using the skills that have made the Columbia High School and Wofford College graduate a rising star and reliable voice in the world of TV journalism, Melvin investigated his own family story, warts and all, in his first book — a memoir titled “Pops.”
Inspiration
“It’s cheaper than therapy,” Melvin joked about writing the book in a recent interview with The State. “It was cathartic.”
Melvin said he initially got the idea for the book while reporting his “Dads Got This!” series on the “Today” show. In it, Melvin profiles inspiring men across the U.S. who make a difference in their children’s lives.
In his reporting, Melvin discovered some of these fathers realized these achievements even though they were battling personal demons. That resonated with Melvin.
“Here I was afraid to talk about what they discussed so freely,” Melvin said.
His father, Lawrence Melvin, was a distant and often absent parent because of his drinking as well as his job working the graveyard shift at a postal facility, publisher HarperCollins said in a description of the book. Watching sports and tinkering on Lawrence’s beloved, but unreliable, 1973 Pontiac LeMans were ways father and son connected. But as Lawrence’s drinking spiraled out of control, their bond was stretched to the breaking point.
Looking to better understand his father while championing the efforts of his mother, Betty Melvin, to hold their family together, Melvin said he was inspired to examine and share his story.
And when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, impetus met opportunity. Usually incredibly busy, Melvin suddenly found himself with more free time to dedicate to researching and writing his book because of so much of the nation being shut down by the pandemic.
What Melvin produced is not simply an expose of past transgressions. It’s a frank look at his family in times of despair. But “Pops” is also a story of recovery, reconciliation and second chances.
It delves into issues that are incredibly personal to Melvin, but some that are also universal to all fathers and sons, as well as other family relationships. He uses some of the stories from dads he highlighted in the “Today” show series to help make that point in the book.
“Dad was acutely aware parts of this book are not going to paint him in the best light,” Melvin said of his father, who has gone through rehab and signed off on the book. “But this is a book that’s going to save a life. This is a book that’s going to reunite a family. It’s a tale of redemption, resiliency and overcoming odds. ... It’s not just about our story, but it’s a love letter to fatherhood.”
Family story
Getting the chance to “interview” his father was a personal highlight, Melvin said. What he learned will give his family for generations to come the chance to hear Lawrence tell his story. Melvin is married to sportscaster Lindsay Czarniak, and they have two kids — son Delano and daughter Sybil.
He said being a father changed his view of the world, even of his dad. He’s also aware of the challenges all fathers, himself included, face.
But it also made him grateful for everything his mother did when he was a child. It wasn’t something he could really appreciate back then; in fact, some of her efforts bothered a young Craig Melvin. But what Betty, who grew up in Lexington County, did is much clearer to him now that he’s an adult and parent.
“You develop a new appreciation for your parents,” Melvin said. “My mother in particular, for the sacrifices she made. (In addition to being an educator) she had to pick up a second job to make ends meet because of my father’s gambling addiction.”
In addition to spending hours speaking with his mother, Melvin said he also interviewed other family members for the book. They confirmed things Lawrence said and also filled in gaps while offering other perspectives from the decades-long journey.
When he was finished, Melvin’s father was the first person he asked to read the book. Lawrence offered his full approval, but Betty did have a few notes.
“She was pleased,” Melvin said, and she even provided all of the pictures that are in the photo layout in the book.
Time for a change
After years of drinking, Lawrence began to further isolate himself from his family and withdraw from society, Melvin said.
Lawrence was drinking so much that blacking out was a regular occurrence, Melvin said. The wedge between father and son was being driven deeper.
It wasn’t until 2018 that Melvin, and much of his family, reached what could’ve been a breaking point with Lawrence. Melvin said his father was involved in a collision on Broad River Road while he was driving under the influence.
“As a family, we were afraid he would hurt somebody else and decided we had to act,” Melvin said.
That involved confronting Lawrence about his drinking and asking him to enter rehab, and he agreed to the treatment.
“He came out of rehab a different person,” Melvin said. “A man in his late 60s decided he wanted to live a better life for himself, for his kids, and his grandkids.”
Now, instead of being distant, Lawrence regularly has video calls with his grandchildren. The man who missed Melvin’s little league home runs was on hand to see his grandson Delano score his first goal in a youth soccer game.
“He’s able to get a second chance,” Melvin said.
Melvin hopes his book also makes it clear this is another opportunity for his family, and a reminder for others to keep trying to help a loved one battling addiction.
“It’s about never giving up on somebody you love. Many times families will try (something like an intervention) and give up if it doesn’t work. Subconsciously we write family members off. Hopefully this helps them to reconcile,” Melvin said.
He also wants the book to help change the way society views alcoholism.
“It’s a disease,” Melvin said. “These people are not lazy, they’re sick, and it’s a sickness. This is an attempt to reframe the conversation on addiction and bring loved ones out of the wilderness.”
While she might be biased because she’s married to Melvin, Czarniak was among those praising his efforts.
“So incredibly moved and proud of Craig Melvin today. He poured his heart and soul into this book and I know it has the power to help so many people,” Czarniak tweeted last week.
No time to rest
Another takeaway Melvin has after writing his first book is that he doesn’t want to author a second. Certainly not on such a personal and emotional subject.
“It’s hard to come to terms with what we deal with in the book. It’s traditional therapy for me going forward,” Melvin said. “I’m busy enough.”
With his job back in full swing, Melvin has a full schedule. In addition to spending four hours a day on network TV, Melvin is again crisscrossing the country to do shoots in cities such as New York, Washington D.C., Chicago and Los Angeles, among other locations, to “tell stories.”
He’s also going to be busy this summer as a regular part of NBC’s coverage of the Olympics, marking the third time he’s reported on the games.
Melvin said he and everyone at NBC will have to take extra precautions for the Summer Games in Tokyo, where COVID-19 remains a greater threat than in the U.S. But he’s excited by the notion of being a part of one of the largest international events held since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s always an honor to be a part of Olympics coverage,” Melvin said. “You forget the magic of the Olympics until you’re there and hear the music.”
Melvin will follow that up by being a part of NBC’s coverage of the Super Bowl in 2022, followed by the Winter Games. He said “it’s going to be a busy six-month stretch for the Peacock.”
It has been a steady climb for Melvin, who started working at Columbia’s NBC affiliate, WIS, while he was still in high school.
After becoming the evening news anchor at WIS, Melvin was a weekend anchor for WRC, NBC’s owned-and-operated station in Washington, D.C. From there, he went on to join NBC News and MSNBC in July 2011.
In addition to Super Bowls and Olympic Games, Melvin has covered several Republican and Democratic national conventions, three presidential inaugurations and some of the most notorious mass shootings in American history, including in 2015 Charleston shooting in his home state.
In spite of that impressive résumé, Melvin said “Pops” might be one of his crowning achievements.
“Of the things in my life to be proud of, and that list is long, this is at the top of the list,” Melvin said. “Hopefully my father’s story is able to help others.”
Amazon listed “Pops” in its editor’s picks for best biographies and memoirs. The hardcover edition of Melvin’s book is available for $22.49, and on tablet readers for $13.99.
This story was originally published June 20, 2021 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Columbia native Craig Melvin’s new book is story of ‘redemption ... overcoming odds’."
