Stay in the Room

Jeff McLean grew up believing in a God who could do anything—love anyone, forgive anything. Anyone, that is, except him. Because Jeff is gay. Stay in the Room tells the true story of a boy raised in Heber City, Utah, in the shadow of Mormonism and the rising AIDS crisis of the 1980s. The son of Michael McLean—Mormonism’s answer to Billy Joel—Jeff sang his father’s songs on stages nationwide. But behind the curtain, he struggled to reconcile his faith with his identity. After serving a Mormon mission, entering a brief marriage to his husband, and battling an addiction to crystal meth, Jeff finally found solid ground—and the courage to come home. But before healing could begin, he had to confront the two people he feared had lost him for good: his parents. Told through three voices, Stay in the Room is a moving, multi-perspective memoir. Jeff shares how he discovered a life where he could be fully himself and still feel the love of God. Michael recounts how the Spirit led him to stay present through his son’s pain, refusing to let go. And therapist Dr. Brad Reedy offers powerful insight for families navigating the tension between faith, identity, and unconditional love. This is a story about showing up, holding space, and choosing love—especially when it’s hard.