JD Vance & His Mom Look Wildly Different In 90s Throwback Pic

By now, we've established that Vice President JD Vance looks unrecognizable in throwback photos, including Vance's yearbook pics and old photos without the VP's beloved beard. But a snapshot posted to Reddit of a young Vance with his mom, Beverly Aikins, is making quite a wave online.

Taken at what looks like a children's play place, such as Chuck E. Cheese, a child Vance hugs Aikins dearly around her waist. The Ohio native was born in 1984, so this picture has to be from the early '90s. If nothing else, the acid-washed jean shorts Vance rocked all but confirmed the time it was taken. Plus, his mom had big hair that looked like it was still living in the late 1980s. Her hair isn't as tall and long now, and she wears glasses.

Though this is a happy snapshot, misfortune is lying just beneath the surface. Vance's mother has suffered many tragedies in her life, and so has her son — which he wrote about in his book, "Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis." Aikins struggled with addiction after initially getting hooked on Vicodin and Percocet before moving on to heroin. "My brain loved it," she told The New York Times. The outlet also reported how Aikins physically abused her son and even used his urine sample to beat a drug test. Because of this, it's no surprise Vance has an up and down relationship with his mother.

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Vice President JD Vance and Beverly Aikins eventually reconciled after she got sober. Mother and son even had a sweet moment during the Republican National Convention in July 2024, where Vance announced to the massive crowd that his mom had been sober for nearly a decade. According to CBS News, which streamed the convention, Vance said, "You know, Mom, I was thinking. It'll be 10 years officially in January of 2025, and if President Trump's okay with it, let's have the celebration in the White House." Aikins did celebrate her milestone achievement at the inauguration.

Despite how much has changed for Vance and his mother since the Reddit throwback photo was taken, it's strange to think that not that much time has passed. One person's takeaway from that throwback photo was just how youthful Vance actually is. "It's so bizarre to think a relatively young man is in the White House now instead of a bunch of old people like usual. Like if I ever met him there's a solid chance we could have a real conversation about 'Final Fantasy 7' in its original release," the person commented. Someone else pointed out how President Donald Trump is actually the oldest person to hold office. Trump was exactly 78 years and 220 days old on Inauguration Day 2025.

But still, Vance was only 40, while Kamala Harris was 56 when she became the Vice President. It's interesting to think Vance grew up with the likes of PlayStation 1 and classic Nickelodeon, just as many other millennials did.