Like most mothers, Centreville's Fran Blair is proud of her children. And when her eldest son, Jayson, became a reporter for the New York Times, she was understandably thrilled for him.
A June 1994 graduate of Centreville High, he attended the University of Maryland and did internships at the Times, the Boston Globe and The Washington Post. And as far as his family knew, he was succeeding even beyond their wildest dreams — until April 30, 2003.
"The University of Maryland called to tell us there was going to be a story in The Washington Post saying Jayson had plagiarized stories in the New York Times," said his mother. "We called Jayson that night, and he called back in denial and said everything was OK. The next day, he called his father and told him he was going to resign from the New York Times."
Then that night, May 1, Lena Williams, chairman of the New York Times Newspaper Guild (representing employees) called the Blairs at home. Said Fran Blair: "She said we should go to New York; she thought Jayson had attempted suicide and they wanted to get him some help."
Blair did get help, and details of the lies and deceit — which he now admits he perpetrated during his four years with the Times — have been splashed across pages of books, magazines and the Internet, worldwide.
He's also recounted them in TV interviews on programs including "Larry King Live," "Hardball With Chris Matthews," C-SPAN's "Book Notes," NBC's "The Today Show" and "The View." (Blair says "Dateline NBC" with Katie Couric was toughest because it was "3 1/2 hours of grilling."). He's doing so to publicize his book, "Burning Down My Masters' House," in which he tells his side of the story.
ON SATURDAY, some 110 people attended a by-invitation-only, book-signing and reception at his parents' home. Guests included family; friends; University of Maryland students and professors; members of his family's church, Centreville Baptist, and his mother's Sunday School class there; former Westfield High administrators and members of the Chantilly Pyramid Minority Student Achievement Committee.
"I was just ecstatic with how many people showed up," said Fran Blair. "And Jayson felt good about it — as if they were saying, 'OK, you made that mistake — now go on with your life.'"
The guest of honor also took some time to speak with Centre View. Although he grew up in a warm and loving home and was taught good values and morality, he blamed his unraveling on drugs, alcohol, manic depression — and a desire to hang onto a job that, by the end of three years, was paying him a salary of $85,000.
"My first two years [at the Times] were fabulous — very exciting," said Blair, now 28. "I was gung ho. I put a lot of internal pressure on myself, trying to prove myself to myself." Besides the natural insecurities of working in a highly competitive environment, he said, he also felt insecure because of his race (black) and youth (23 when he started).
He'd begun serious drug and alcohol use in college. "It was a novelty and an escape from stress," he said. "It was also self-medication; I began using drugs and alcohol to control my moods and to go to sleep at night. After college, kids usually let go of it, but I added it to my permanent tool bag."
Blair considered himself lucky to get the Times job. "I was excited — totally in shock," he said. "I realized the opportunity I had. Although it was a bit of golden handcuffs. At a big newspaper, even if you're unhappy, you stay because the pay is good and many of the stories are interesting."
AFTER 9/11, he said, "I began to disassemble; my drug and alcohol problem got worse. I think my greatest asset as a journalist was my empathy for people's pain and suffering. But I couldn't detach myself from it. At a young age, I was seeing so much devastation and sadness, and my maturity hadn't caught up with me."
He asked his bosses for help, and they complied, sending him to rehab. "I felt like I got better," said Blair. "But I didn't know I had undiagnosed manic depression, at the time."
Although he's been off drugs and alcohol since January 2002, they'd become "coping mechanisms" for him. Without them, he said, "I felt like a newborn babe going out into the world. I think the toughest part of the battle begins at that point. I was in group therapy to learn normal escapes other people use, like reading or music."
Blair contemplated leaving the Times and doing something else, but "couldn't figure out what to do." He decided to leave hard news and orchestrated a transfer to sports. "And then, like a bad joke pulled on me by God, the sniper shootings happened," he said. He got that assignment, but this time, said Blair, "I had to do it without drugs and alcohol."
"I began to not get out of bed for 18 hours — or stay up for 72 hours," he said. "My brain feels horrible, but I tell myself I'm strong and can handle it." Not until after he lost his job, he said, was he willing to admit he needed help.
By November-December 2002, Blair no longer wanted to go out and cover stories. "I think it's a one-time deal, and then it turns into a week and then months," he explained. "I kept telling myself I'd do it again when I felt better."
He isolated himself from friends and co-workers. "There were moments of clarity where I felt bad about the ethics of it and resolved to get my rear back on track," he said. "But I'd find myself back in some psychosis or fear. I still go through enormous mood swings, but not [so dramatic]. I'm on medication [for life] so I can psychologically arm myself for those moments."
Toward the end, said Blair, "The fabrications and plagiarisms were getting worse and worse. I was getting more and more psychotic, brazen and obvious."
STILL, HE ADDED, "I never foresaw the possibility of getting caught, of my [wrongdoing] going public or that any harm would come to me, my bosses, my family or friends." While noting that people are fallible and can be dishonest, Blair said, "The vast majority of journalists — even at the Times — aren't that way."
"The reality is that most journalists try to stay above-board, honest, fair and objective," he said. "It's unfortunate that they got painted with the same broad brush because of my actions. It's because of my own, individual, character flaws, and I'm remorseful primarily because of the pain it caused friends and family, people at the Times who lost their jobs or got transferred, readers and sources who were treated unfairly."
Blair said writing his book and talking about it is "coming clean" and a way to help others learn from his mistakes. He also learned the importance of "putting personal integrity ahead of career and people's perception of me." He received a $150,000 advance, but doesn't expect to make money from book sales — especially since it sold less than 1,500 copies, the first nine days.
"It's not a profit-seeking enterprise," said Blair. "It's more cathartic." So, with his track record, why should people believe what's in it? "It's not so important to me that people believe me," he replied. "I am being honest — trying to change on the inside. People will have to make [their own] determination whether I'm being credible and sincere."
HE DOESN'T seek or expect instant redemption. "I think I need to admit what I did wrong — that's my own therapy," he said. And while he knows people won't forget his Times fiasco, he hopes he'll also be remembered as someone who, "from this point forward, spent my life doing good things."
If Blair receives book royalties, he plans to give some to mental-health awareness programs. And in April, he'll speak about mental health to some college and mental-health groups. Then he may begin writing "commercial fiction" novels.
Meanwhile, he's on a book tour and will return home to Centreville in May for six months. "I'm lucky to have the support of my family," he said Saturday. "They're truly wonderful, caring and giving people, and things would have been much worse without their support."
His mother knows Jayson must now begin life anew. Because of his illness, said Fran Blair, until recently her greatest fear was that he'd kill himself. Once she learned of his troubles, she said, "I e-mailed him every morning to say, 'I love you' — to let him know I cared and to make sure he was OK."
She said his illness didn't show up earlier because she and his father Tom "kept a close eye on him" at home. But on his own in New York, he didn't have that "layer of protection."
As for her, she said, "The Lord really tested me, but faith took me through. All things work for good for those who love the Lord, and a lot of people were praying for Jayson, Tom and I." Now, said Blair, "I think Jayson will establish himself in a career and do well. With God's help, I believe he will be given a second chance."