Everything We Know About JD Vance's Rocky Relationship With His Dad

Before his rise in politics, J.D. Vance didn't have the most fortunate upbringing. His parents were Beverly Vance and Donald Bowman, and neither were the best role models in his formative years. One of the more tragic details of Beverly's life is that she experienced substance use issues while her son was still young. Meanwhile, Bowman gave J.D. up for adoption when he was 6. Still, J.D. cherished the sparse memories he had of Bowman, even after his unceremonious departure. "After the adoption, he became kind of a phantom for the next six years," J.D. wrote in his memoir, "Hillbilly Elegy." "I had few memories of life with him. I knew that he loved Kentucky, its beautiful mountains, and its rolling green horse country."

These memories, which made losing his dad that much harder to deal with, may have also helped father and son reconnect. Bowman and J.D. reunited when the latter was 11 years old. But they couldn't fully reestablish their bond without addressing Bowman's abandonment, a topic they tried working around until they couldn't anymore. Bowman finally told JD the real reason why he left. "For the first time, I heard his side of the story: that the adoption had nothing to do with a desire to avoid child support and that, far from simply 'giving me away,' as Mom and Mamaw had said, Dad had hired multiple lawyers and done everything within reason to keep me," JD wrote. Bowman had apparently asked God for signs that putting his son up for adoption was the right choice.

J.D. Vance was able to form a lot of new memories with his father after they found each other again. They even bonded over music, despite having completely different preferences. "When we first reconnected, he made it clear that he didn't care for my taste in classic rock, especially Led Zeppelin," J.D. wrote in "Hillbilly Elegy." "He just advised that I listened to Christian rock instead."

For those familiar with J.D.'s memoir, Bowman's criticism should come as a little surprise. The future politician confided that his father was a spiritual member of a strict conservative church, which was a strong contrast to the religious values of his grandmother Mamaw, who raised him with his grandfather. Bowman's strong ties to his church were supported by his obituary, written after his death in November 2013, which highlighted how much religion meant to him. "He loved to pray, study the Word, worship and to be in the presence of God," his family explained. "He was a spiritual father and mentor to many, encouraging and praying for others, always looking for someone that he could help in any way."