JD Vance's mother celebrates 10 years of sobriety at White House
JD Vance's mother, Beverly Aikins, has celebrated 10 years of sobriety at a ceremony at the White House.
Surrounded by friends and family Ms Aitkins received a medallion marking her decade in recovery on Friday.
Her struggle with drug and alcohol addiction was laid bare in Mr Vance's memoir Hillbilly Elegy and during the vice-presidential debate last October.
'I was raised in a working class family,' he said. 'My mother required food assistance for periods of her life. My grandmother required social security help to raise me.
'And she raised me in part because my own mother struggled with addiction for a big chunk of my early life.'
Ms Aikins grew up in a violent household. Her addiction issues began when, working as a nurse, she would take painkillers to ease headaches. She later began taking the opioid Percocet and finally heroin.
Her recovery started in 2015. After living in her car, she moved into a sober living facility and her successful recovery was celebrated by Mr Vance when he accepted the vice-presidential nomination.
During his acceptance speech, the vice-president said: 'I'm proud to say that tonight my mom is here, 10 years clean and sober. I love you, mom. And, 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.'
Ms Aikins is now a nurse at an addiction recovery centre in Cincinnati.
Mr Trump's younger brother, Fred Trump, struggled with alcoholism before his death aged 42.
The president has eschewed alcohol his whole life, and has often said the tragedy inspired him to remain teetotal.
At White House dinners, the president toasts his guests with Diet Coke.
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