Tragic Details About JD Vance's Mother Beverly

The following article mentions addiction and domestic abuse.

For vice presidential candidate JD Vance, success was not just about achieving the American dream; it was about confronting and reckoning with the painful family ties that shaped him. Vance's memoir, "Hillbilly Elegy," captivated readers with its portrayal of family trauma and the opioid crisis. So much so, Oscar-winning filmmaker Ron Howard felt compelled to direct the silver screen adaptation. As Howard told Deadline in 2020, "[W]hen I read this book I recognized that I had really been looking for a story that I could tell that would allow me to apply my own sensitivity to this aspect of our American culture that I really relate to through my family in a way these folks think and communicate and make the decisions that they make and live by the codes they live by."

Vance's complex relationship with his mother, Beverly Aikins, lies at the heart of the memoir. The book depicts Aikins as a woman dealing with drug addiction, a struggle that left a deep mark on Vance's early life. While Vance has achieved personal and professional success as an adult, behind the scenes, he's navigated his tumultuous relationship with his mother. This journey — shaped by pain, anger, and forgiveness — reveals a complex bond between mother and son.

On August 2, 1984, Beverly Aikins and Donald Bowan welcomed their second child, JD Vance, into the world. Bowman eventually left the family, leaving Aikins to care for Vance and his sister by herself. Aikins supported her family by working as a nurse, but after she took a painkiller to treat a headache in the middle of the shift, things took a turn. As Aikins recounted to The New York Times, she started with Vicodin and then went to Percocet. After losing her nursing license for taking drugs from the hospital where she worked, she began using heroin. 

As Vance grew older, Aikins' addiction only worsened, and her behavior became increasingly erratic. "For years, I had made excuses for Mom," Vance wrote in "Hillbilly Elegy" (via The New York Times)." "I had tried to help manage her drug problem, read those stupid books about addiction, and accompanied her to N.A. meetings." Rage-fueled episodes and moments of desperation led to an unstable home life, casting a long shadow on Vance's childhood.

In "Hillbilly Elegy," JD Vance noted that his mother was raised in an abusive and toxic household, and she was not able to break the cycle. As Vance shared in his memoir, he dealt with his mother's physically and emotionally volatile behavior.. According to the politician, Beverly Aikins would have dangerous outbursts that could put their lives in danger.

One pivotal moment that shaped Vance's life was an incident that took place while his mother was driving a car. "I said something or some conversation topic really ignited her temper," he recalled in a 2017 NBC News interview. "And then she just sped up, and she kept on saying, 'I'm just going to crash this car and kill us both.'" This experience became a lasting memory for Vance and represented a significant turning point in his life.

When Vance was 12, Aikins was arrested. Vance was then taken in by his grandparents, who provided a stable home for the remainder of his childhood. In his memoir, he called his grandparents "without question or qualification, the best things that ever happened to me" (via People).

After JD Vance's parents divorced, he watched his mom take on a series of failed relationships that brought constant disruption to the future politician's childhood. As Vance later reflected in "Hillbilly Elegy" (via South China Morning Post), "Of all the things I hated about my childhood, nothing compared to the revolving door of father figures."

When Beverly Aikins married her third husband, Bob Hamel, he adopted Vance. However, they weren't exactly one big happy family. As Vance recounted in his book, his mom and Hamel's relationship was volatile, and both parties were emotionally and physically violent with one another. 

This fraught family dynamic stuck with him in a big way. As he recalled in his memoir (via The New York Times), "I had endured, never complaining, a parade of father figures, all of whom left me feeling empty and mistrustful of men." These experiences deeply shaped his views on family, relationships, and the importance of stability.

Following her arrest, JD Vance's relationship with his mother, Beverly Aikins, was deeply fractured. As Vance graduated from Yale and began a successful career as a venture capitalist, Aikins remained out of the picture. Sometime in 2015, while Vance was still writing "Hillbilly Elegy," Aikins checked herself into a sober living facility, marking her first step toward recovery.

Aikins' commitment to sobriety opened the door to reconciliation, and she reconnected with Vance around the time his memoir was published. Since then, their relationship has only grown stronger. As Aikins told the Washington Examiner in 2024, she's taken on an active role as a grandmother.

The mother and son also shared an emotional moment on stage during the 2024 Republican National Convention, where Vance spoke about his mother's sobriety journey. Per CBS News, he told the cheering crowd, "I'm proud to say that tonight, my mom is here, 10 years clean and sober. I love you, Mom." Their story reflects the toll addiction can take on family relationships. But it also shows how healing, though difficult, is possible even after years of pain.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues or is dealing with domestic abuse, contact the relevant resources below:

• Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
• Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.