Reflecting upon the remarkable journey of JD Vance and his family, I am deeply moved by their inspiring tale of love, resilience, and the pursuit of dreams. Born into humble beginnings, JD’s life has taken a dramatic turn, mirroring the transformation depicted in his bestselling book “Hillbilly Elegy.
If you had any prior knowledge of JD Vance, it’s likely that you were aware he was brought up by a strong and resilient grandmother (Mamaw).
In his 2016 memoir “Hillbilly Elegy,” the junior senator from Ohio introduced Bonnie Eloise Blanton Vance, whom he referred to as his remarkably profane maternal grandmother. When their mother Beverly was unable to offer a secure environment, Bonnie took in JD and his older half-sister Lindsay.
40-year-old said at the Republican National Convention in July while formally accepting his party’s nomination for vice president, “Mamaw was full of contrasts. She held strong religious beliefs, being deeply devoted to her faith, but she also had an affinity for a word that would make even the saltiest sailor feel embarrassed.
Hillbilly Elegy not only shares the author’s family history, but also delves into the reasons why communities similar to his Mamaw’s hometown have been overlooked and struggling. This book catapulted JD Vance into prominence as a sought-after commentator discussing socioeconomic matters and political frustrations during the 2016 presidential election.
The book originated from a study group the individual, along with his partner Usha Chilukuri (who is now his wife), initiated at Yale Law School in 2013, focusing on “social decline among white America.
In 2020, JD mentioned during Megyn Kelly’s podcast that he finds it beneficial to have a strong female voice offering guidance, similar to having someone say “Don’t do that, do this,” over his left shoulder. As a child, that voice was his grandmother’s (Mamaw), but now, he explained, the voice he hears is Usha’s.
In the book, he acknowledged his wife for inspiring him to discover possibilities he wasn’t aware of.
Now, following his recent election to the U.S. Senate in November 2022, this political newcomer, who is a father of three, might find himself standing just below the presidential position in a short span of time.
Here’s a guide to the Vance family:
In his 2016 best-seller “Hillbilly Elegy”, JD Vance affectionately refers to his beloved grandmother, whom he calls Mamaw, who was actually Bonnie Eloise Blanton, born on April 16, 1933, in the town of Keck, Ky. She spent her childhood in nearby Jackson, raised by her mother Hattie (née Hounshell) and father Blaine Blanton, along with five brothers and two sisters.
Bonnie and JD’s grandfather, named James Vance, became acquainted as children while growing up. At the age of 13, Bonnie found herself pregnant with James, as detailed in “Hillbilly Elegy.” Faced with this sudden development, they left their hometown for Dayton, Ohio. Eventually, they settled in Middletown, which is part of the greater Cincinnati area. Tragically, the baby Bonnie gave birth to at 14 lived only a short time, as JD recounted.
Jim Vance, Beverly, and Lori. Additionally, it was mentioned that Mamaw had at least eight miscarriages before giving birth to Beverly and Lori, which followed the birth of their son.
Granny was strong-willed, honorable, notoriously blunt, and fiercely defensive when it came to her loved ones; this is how JD portrayed her. She was swift to brandish a firearm in defense of her family (and JD even shared some whispers of his grandma taking shots on rare occasions as well).
In 2016, she identified as Christian, but expressed doubts about many aspects of organized Christianity because to her, it seemed more focused on soliciting donations rather than fostering genuine religious devotion. (JD shared this with NPR)
In 2017, JD shared with NBC News that throughout his life, “She truly resonated with me.” He explained that she recognized when he required support, understanding when he needed companionship, love, and comfort. At times, she knew when to be empathetic. She was indeed intelligent.
On April 24, 2005, Mamaw passed away at the age of 72 following a struggle with pneumonia, as stated in an obituary provided by her relatives. As mentioned in her grandson’s book, upon sorting through her belongings, it was discovered that there were a total of 19 firearms, all loaded, hidden throughout her residence.
In her later years, she possessed numerous firearms to ensure that wherever she was, she could easily reach them for the purpose of safeguarding her family, as stated by JD during his speech at the Republican National Convention.
In Ron Howard’s 2020 movie version of “Hillbilly Elegy,” Glenn Close portrayed Mamaw. Interestingly, she donned the real eyewear belonging to her on-screen character’s sister, Bonnie, when acting alongside Amy Adams as Beverly in the film.
JD shared with his cousin and ex-reporter Bonnie Meiber (who happens to be his aunt Lori’s daughter) in 2020 that certain aspects of Mamaw are hard to portray, but he believes Glenn did an exceptional job given the circumstances. “Glenn’s perspective on Mamaw is commendable, and he manages to encapsulate quite a bit of her spirit,” JD added. For those intrigued by understanding Mamaw’s character, this work offers a reasonable snapshot into who she truly was.
In the book “Hillbilly Elegy“, JD delved into the intricate dynamics of his mother’s relationship, which was marked by struggles with substance abuse and periods of abusiveness. His mother, a trained nurse, battled drug and alcohol addiction, and she often had multiple partners. Due to these circumstances, they were moved around frequently and, on many occasions, JD and his half-sister Lindsay stayed with their grandparents – Mamaw and Papaw.
In his book, it is stated that on one occasion, JD fabricated information to a judge regarding his mother’s actions following her arrest for domestic violence. This was done with the intention of preventing him from being removed from her care and placed into foster care. During an interview with NPR’s Fresh Air in 2016, he described Beverly as a truly remarkable individual who made great efforts but struggled to overcome the traumas of her past to some degree.
Apart from what he mentioned earlier about his mother’s unpredictable nature, he shared a belief that his grandmother, being his guardian, would keep him safe. He added, “I was certain that she would prevent any serious harm from coming my way.
Reflecting on the moving conclusion of “Hillbilly Elegy,” which graced our screens last November, the closing credits revealed that my beloved Aunt Beverly had celebrated six years of sobriety. In a heartwarming update shared by my cousin Bonnie, she recounted how my aunt, a dedicated AA meeting regular, had been honored with her five-year sobriety coin just this past January.
Beverly admitted to Bonnie, ‘I’ve stopped many times before, thinking this was the end, but I never knew why it truly was the end. If only I knew the reason, I’d capture it and market it because it seems to be a secret potion for change.’ She expressed her curiosity about what triggers such decisiveness in people: ‘I wonder what it is that makes you realize you’ve had enough.’
In an interview with The New York Times in September, Beverly – who appeared alongside JD at the RNC in July – shared that her son’s book was “heartrending in certain parts. However, it served as a catalyst for our family’s growth, and it established a communication channel that we had not previously explored.
Currently employed at a substance abuse recovery facility, Beverly shared that she has remained sober for nearly a decade. She expressed a preference to avoid the contentious news about the presidential election, yet she openly supports her son.
“You see this hometown boy who’s doing so good, you would think no matter what your politics, you would just want to get behind him and root him on,” she said. And since she was “ignoring the bad,” she explained, “I also have to ignore the good. I can live in my own little bubble and be comfortable.”
In the book “Hillbilly Elegy,” JD remembered an occasion when his mother fetched him from kindergarten, and she shared that his father no longer wished to be with her.
He penned down, “I’d never felt sadder,” he noted. “Out of everything I disliked about my upbringing, there was nothing that matched the constant stream of men who briefly took on the role of a father figure.
In his early years, the vice presidential candidate was born as James Donald Bowman to Beverly and her second spouse, Donald Bowman. Unfortunately, they divorced when their son was just a toddler. Later on, Donald agreed to let a 6-year-old JD be adopted by Beverly’s third husband, Bob Hamel, as detailed in “Hillbilly Elegy.
Later on, Beverly decided to rename her son as James David Hamel, aiming to detach herself from her ex while still keeping his well-known nickname J.D., which eventually lost its punctuation marks over time.
In his book, JD wrote that it appeared somewhat implausible to him, even at the age of six. He also mentioned that any ordinary name beginning with ‘D’, other than Donald, would have sufficed for the purpose.
Initially, after Beverly and Bob separated, JD continued using the surname Hamel (even during his military service in the Marine Corps), while his mother adopted the last name of her subsequent spouses. Later, when JD got married, he and his wife Usha opted to take the name Vance, thus aligning their family name with the one they felt they truly belonged to.
In November 2023, Donald passed away at the age of 64. His surviving family members include his long-time spouse and their five children, one of whom is JD.
By the way, in 2021, JD decided to drop the periods from his nickname as he delved into politics. This change was verified by the Associated Press, who received confirmation through a representative of his Senate campaign. Now, he prefers to be referred to without punctuation in his initials.
JD shares a parent with his elder sister Lindsay, who is five years senior to him, as they both were mostly brought up by their grandparents, Mamaw and Papaw. This information was not disclosed to JD that she was his half-sister until he grew older, as he mentioned in his book.
In an interview with her cousin Bonnie for the Dayton Daily News in 2020, Lindsay expressed, “JD has never given me a reason to doubt him, and I see nothing but goodness in him. He holds a special place in my heart that no one else can fill, and I will defend him until the end of my days. Whenever difficulties arose, my immediate concern was always for his well-being.
Lindsay and husband Kevin Ratliff share three children.
Usha Chilukuri was born on the 6th of January, 1986, to her father Krish, who is both a mechanical engineer and a university lecturer, and her mother Lakshmi, a biologist and college provost. She grew up in San Diego, California, which became home for her parents after they moved from India. Usha pursued her studies in history at Yale University, followed by earning a Master of Philosophy degree from Clare College, Cambridge (located in England).
She encountered JD, who completed his education at Ohio State University in 2009 with dual majors in political science and philosophy, during her time at Yale Law School.
In the same classes every day during 2017, I got to know him quite well. We weren’t more than friends at the time, but when we were tasked to collaborate on a project, our bond strengthened. His diligence impressed me, as he consistently arrived for our early morning appointments without fail, ready to work on our project together.
JD chuckled, saying that she “left no doubt that my absence would bring consequences.” He remembered her as being “direct and self-assured.
The couple wed in an interfaith Christian-Hindu ceremony in Kentucky in 2014.
Following her law school education, Usha worked as a clerk for several federal judges, including Brett Kavanaugh who later became a U.S. Supreme Court Justice. She had recently been given an offer for a Supreme Court clerkship when she discovered she was pregnant in 2016. After giving birth to her son Ewan in early June 2017, she began working for Chief Justice John Roberts at the end of July that same year.
On the 2020 episode of the Megyn Kelly Show podcast, I shared that Usha serves as a humbling influence for me. Whenever I find myself becoming overly confident or arrogant, I simply pause to reflect on her incredible accomplishments, which far surpass my own.
Between the years 2019 and 2024, after her husband was chosen as Vice President candidate for former President Donald Trump, Usha worked as a corporate litigator at the law firm Munger, Tolles & Olson, which is based in San Francisco but operates across multiple states.
In June, prior to JD becoming part of the team, Usha expressed on Fox & Friends that she wasn’t eager for any changes in their lives at the moment, but she had faith in JD and deeply admired him. So, they would simply wait and observe what the future holds for them.
In May 2017, when Usha and JD spoke with NBC News, Usha was 37 weeks into her pregnancy with their first child. The pair eagerly discovered early on that they were expecting a baby boy due to JD’s impatience, as Usha explained, “JD simply couldn’t wait.
She remarked, “I believe he’ll make an outstanding father.” This is based on his kind-hearted nature, which is evident in how he narrates stories. Moreover, he treats their two dogs as if they were his own babies. Over the years, I’ve observed him caring for vulnerable creatures.
Ewan Blane Vance was born June 4, 2017.
JD shared with NBC News that they were prepared for the year to be quite unpredictable, saying it was similar to a traditional hillbilly mindset where one doesn’t arrange their life around the baby, but rather adapts their life to accommodate the arrival of the child. They added, “We’ll just figure it out.
Their second son, Vivek Vance, was born in February 2020.
This year on his son’s 4th birthday, Dad chose to read “Oh, The Places You’ll Go” by Dr. Seuss from the Senate podium, understanding that this special moment would be preserved for future generations.
Usha and JD became parents to their daughter Mirabel Rose Vance in December 2021. Her father announced on Instagram (a post that has since been deleted as he removed all previous content before August 1), “This year, we received an early Christmas gift – our first daughter, Mirabel Rose Vance. Everyone, meet her! Mama and baby are both doing well, and we’re feeling extremely grateful during this holiday season.
Despite JD moving to Washington, the Vances reside in Cincinnati, where they acquired a 5,000-square-foot Victorian Gothic house built in 1858 for $1.4 million, as reported by the New York Times in 2018.
In July, Usha chose to leave her law firm, as stated to SFGATE, expressing her intention to devote more time to the care of her family.
During his speech at the RNC, JD expressed that his “greatest American aspiration was achieving a loving husband and father. I yearned to provide my children with the experiences I lacked during my upbringing. And this is the achievement I am most proud of.
Speaking directly into the camera, he said, “Should you be listening, I want to tell you that I care for you deeply. However, it’s now 10 o’clock, and it’s time for sleep, so please head to bed.
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2024-10-20 16:20