Who Is JD Vance's Grandmother? What We Know About The Woman Who Raised Him

JD Vance often speaks about the woman that raised him and all the things she went through to bring him up through tough times. His grandmother holds a special place in his heart to this day, helping form him into the man he's become and inspiring him even now that he's reached political office. But who is the woman behind all of the stories that Vance so often includes in his speeches?

Bonnie Blanton Vance was born in Keck, Kentucky in 1933. She would later move to Middletown, Ohio with the boy who became her husband and Vance's grandfather in the 1940s. At the time, Bonnie was 13 and he was 16, and she was already pregnant with their first child. Jim Vance, JD's grandfather, worked in an Armco steel mill.

Vance had a complicated relationship with his parents, with his father leaving when he was a toddler and his mother struggling with drug addiction. He was raised by his grandparents and his grandmother, Bonnie Blanton Vance, had a huge impact on him. He even took her last name rather than his birth name because of her influence.

JD Vance describes his grandmother as terrifying as well. She had seen too many family members deal with drug addictions and go down the wrong path, so she made sure Vance didn't head the same direction. In an interview with NPR in 2016, Vance discussed a time she found out he was hanging out with a bad crowd. "Well, the first time she realized that I was hanging out with the wrong kids, she actually told me in a very menacing voice, 'Look, JD, I'll give you a choice. You can either stop hanging out with these kids, or I'll run them over with my car. And trust me, no one will ever find out.'"

That may paint a grim picture of Mamaw's coldness, but don't let her inability to mince words fool anyone. She gave Vance exactly the type of love and support he needed. She stood as a monument of stability in what would have otherwise been a turbulent life for Vance. Speaking to Megyn Kelly in 2016, Vance offered this insight into his treatment at the hands of his grandmother. "She really just got me. She understood when I needed someone to ride me. She knew when I needed love and comfort. She knew when she just needed to be sympathetic. She was really smart." Even with all the weird rumors about Vance, this remains a heartwarming story that steals the show each time he speaks about her.