Louise Hay, founder of Hay House Publishing and the author of several self-help books, passed away from natural causes on August 30 in San Diego, Calif. She was 90.
Hay’s career in publishing began in 1976 when she self-published her first two books, Heal Your Body and You Can Heal Your Life (1984). Telling the story of her recovery from what she described as incurable cervical cancer, You Can Heal Your Life has sold more than 50 million copies, according to Hay House.
The early success of Heal Your Life led Hay to establish Hay House Publishers in 1987 from her living room in New York. Today, Hay House, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, is headquartered in Carlsbad, Calif., with additional offices in New York, London, Sydney, Johannesburg, and New Delhi. It publishes over 130 self-help authors, such as Wayne Dyer, Esther Hicks, and Doreen Virtue.
Reid Tracy, president and CEO of Hay House who first joined the company as an accountant in 1988, reflected on Hay's passing in a statement on Wednesday. “Meeting Louise changed the direction of my life,” he said. “Her passion for serving others translated into everything she did. Being able to learn from her has been one of my life’s greatest blessings.”
The publisher will continue to focus on producing products and online learning courses that align with Hay’s message of self-improvement, it said in a statement.
A private service is being held for Hay, and donations are being accepted by the Hay Foundation, a nonprofit organization established by Hay that helps provide resources to those with AIDS, battered women, and others in need.
