Meet J.D. Vance’s mother Beverly Aikins: a journey of addiction and redemption, from broken marriages and Hillbilly Elegy fame, to inspiring hearts at the Republican National Convention
- Beverly Aikins found fame through her son’s memoir Hillbilly Elegy, which launched his political career and was adapted into a film starring Amy Adams and Glenn Close
- As a nurse, she had access to prescription medication in her workplace – the drug abuse and addiction escalated to include heroin, but she has been sober for a decade
It was day three of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and all eyes were on J.D. Vance as he officially accepted the Republican vice-presidential nomination, making him former US president Donald Trump’s running mate in the November elections.
But it was his mother, Beverly Aikins, who touched hearts as her son applauded her for being nearly 10 years sober. Wearing a simple black outfit with a silver chain and cross, Aikins, who became famous through her son’s 2016 memoir Hillbilly Elegy, blew kisses to Vance and got a standing ovation from the crowd.
The book, which Forbes describes as “the memoir that launched J.D. Vance’s political career” was later adapted into a film starring Amy Adams and Glenn Close.
Here is what you need to know about Beverly Aikins, thrust into the national spotlight again by her 40-year-old senator son.
Beverly Aikins was a young mum
According to People magazine, Aikins was just 19 years old when she give birth to her first child Lindsay in 1979. Half-brother J.D. was born five years later. The two children were raised in Middletown, Ohio. In an interview on NBC, Lindsay was described as being a “protective” sister by Vance. Lindsay, who was also interviewed, said she “would die for that kid” when describing their childhood.
J.D. Vance had multiple “father figures”
In his memoir, Vance wrote that he was six years old when his parents officially divorced, although his father, Donald, had left the family a few years before that.
Vance says that it was his mum who told him about the divorce, simply saying he would never see his father again. “Of all the things I hated about my childhood, nothing compared to the revolving door of father figures,” wrote Vance in Hillbilly Elegy.
