UFC fighter uses his story of addiction to help those battling addiction

WORLAND - Speaking about one's struggles and failings can be difficult even in the most comfortable situations. UFC fighter Court McGee has made it his mission to not only talk about his battle with substance abuse and trials that it brought but do so in front of crowds of strangers.

Through The McGee Project, a non-profit aimed at helping youth or anyone battle through addiction, Court McGee gave two presentations in Worland on Oct. 13, one to the Worland Middle School and another to the community later that evening.

As one of the longest-tenured UFC fighters and the winner of "The Ultimate Fighter" season 11, McGee's message centers around hope. While he'll tell stories of his lowest moments in addiction, he wants his message to connect with those who are at the same point and for them to know they're capable of being sober one day at a time.

Becoming a public speaker wasn't something McGee initially had in mind. Sure, he was more than comfortable and loved speaking with others and in front of those working through the 12-step program. But he never imagined speaking in front crowd of high school, and middle school students was another of his callings.

McGee had gone through the expungement process and cleared his criminal record. He and his wife, Chelsea McGee, were expecting their second child when he got a call. The call was from an undercover narcotics officer. There was some initial hesitation, but he also got sound advice from his wife. "I asked my wife what I should do, and she said, 'Dummy, call them back,'" said McGee.

Calling the officer back would kick-start everything. The officer asked if McGee would be his keynote speaker at an annual narcotics assembly for the Attorney General of Utah and every narcotics officer and DEA agent in Utah. It also gave McGee a chance to meet the officer who had found him when he overdosed.

McGee had been comfortable talking in front of his recovery community, but this was something entirely new. He had a friend who is a professional speaker who gave him advice on what to charge and how to structure his speech.

"Looking back on it, I'm embarrassed because I was really raw, and I dropped the F-bomb like 50 times. But you have to start somewhere," laughed McGee. "The whole reason I went there was to thank that narcotics officer for being there the night I overdosed. Had he not found the syringe, I'd have been dead."

That speech led to a sheriff, who was there at the assembly, asking McGee to speak to the youth in his community. McGee said yes but also realized he needed to find a more polished way to share his story with middle and high school students.

The sheriff had to talk both the superintendent and high school principal into allowing McGee to do his talk. "Before I walked on stage, he told me not to screw it up because he could lose his job. It was like OK, no pressure," said McGee. "I got up and delivered a speech that was similar to the one I'm doing now."

Along with helping those struggling with addiction, McGee wants to be the professional athlete his children can look up to. He stays away from that trope of being a partier with all this money. He prides himself on being humble, which is why he's had the longevity in the UFC he's had. The average UFC career is 1.9 years and three fights. McGee is in his 11th year and has had 22 fights. He credits the discipline not to pick up a drink or splurge with splashy purchases.

McGee has accomplished a lot in his fighting and public speaking career. Yet, one of the things he enjoys most is meeting the people inspired by his story of perseverance and dedication to sobriety. McGee recounts one time during a gas stop in Green River, a woman came up to him and recognized him from when he spoke at her high school nine years prior. The woman spoke about battling substance abuse during that time and having an early pregnancy, but it was his speech at her high school that kept her motivated to turn her life around.

"She had multiple years of sobriety, and I've had experiences like that left and right. I know I could fetch more money on the corporate side of things, but our youth and young and adults are falling victim to substance abuse left and right.

"Every state in the country has accidental overdose deaths, and I fell victim to that. I was not trying to commit suicide but was trying to overcome a craving beyond my mental control because I had the disease of addiction inherent in my personality long before I picked up my first drink or drug. It's important to share that because staying sober one day at a time has allowed me to have one of the longest tenure careers in the UFC and still be a dad and be a high school wrestling coach," said McGee.

McGee wants to use his position of influence to help anyone in need. That's why after his speeches, he stays until he's able to talk with each student or person who wants to speak with him. He also likes to have counselors and addiction specialists there at his talks so he can help those in need make those introductions and take that step toward sobriety.

This is also why he started his non-profit, and on the larger talks, he does, he sets aside up to 70 percent of the funding so he can go to smaller, underserved communities.

Some might think that McGee's success in the octagon is fueled by his sobriety. It's actually the reverse. Each time he trains or fights, he draws his strength from those in recovery.

"All of this is my driving force and competition. My downfall and shortcomings of my life have turned into the most powerful key I have, and that is being able to provide that help for those in need. In turn, that's what gives me my motivation to show up for 15 hours of training a week and to prepare to fight the best guys in the world," said McGee. "So when I walk out into that cage, I walk out with 30 million people in long-term recovery and every person who is struggling. I have that motivation in my corner, and I walk in there pretty powerful."

McGee also surrounds himself with other people who are in recovery. It keeps you honest, gives you a safety net and support for everyone.

"Don't give up five minutes before the miracle. Sometimes, especially early on, it was five 10 minutes at a time. But one 10-minute session turned into two, then to a day, then a month, then 5,666 days. Getting sober helped me become a professional athlete but getting sober was supported by getting around people in long-term recovery. Attending weekly and sometimes daily recovery meetings and completing that 12-step program, and helping others through that 12-step program is what has given me the power and motivation to make it.

"Whether you become a UFC fighter or become the manager at a McDonald's or just show up to work for a whole week and don't leave because you needed to get drunk. That is the same success. If I didn't have those small successes, I wouldn't have seen the gratitude I have in the little things," said McGee.

As McGee says in his talk, addiction knows no bounds. It affects anyone regardless of race, gender or financial status. McGee wants to be there for anyone in need. He knows what it's like at that point and won't soon forget it. He also prides himself on being able to relate to those working through addiction.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, substance abuse and suicide rates have only increased.

"Everything we've been doing meant much more because I knew people were losing their jobs or were stuck at home. They weren't going to their normal places because everything got turned upside down. To be honest, a good hard workout can change that. Getting more active and being more present with your family and in your daily life very helpful. Putting this together has been a big thing for us. Suicide rates and substance abuse has gone through the roof during this coronavirus stuff. All these topics mill over the fact that we're losing 40, 50 thousand people a year due to accidental overdose.

"We don't forget that because it's near and dear to all of our lives," said McGee. "Anyone who has family members who struggle with substance abuse knows that pain and misery they're going through but when they succeed in getting help and at staying sober one day at a time. It's the most incredible thing to see, and then they're able to become the most extraordinary people in the world."