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Mother of JD Vance Shares Her Drug Addiction Story to Inspire Recovering ‘Out Loud’

Aikins, whose struggle with drugs was chronicled in Vance’s memoir, ‘Hillbilly Elegy,’ travels the country speaking at addiction recovery events.
Mother of JD Vance Shares Her Drug Addiction Story to Inspire Recovering ‘Out Loud’
Beverly Aikins, the mother of Vice President JD Vance, shares her addiction recovery story at an event in Greenfield, Ohio, on Aug. 30, 2025. Jeff Louderback/The Epoch Times
Jeff Louderback
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GREENFIELD, Ohio—Far from the pomp and grandeur of sharing the stage with her son, Vice President JD Vance, at President Donald Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration, Beverly Aikins was standing alone on a modest wooden platform in a rural southern Ohio village in the Appalachian foothills.

Microphone in hand, she was sharing her story of recovering from addiction. At the Aug. 30 event, people from all walks of life spoke about overcoming similar battles.

Jeff Louderback
Jeff Louderback
Reporter
Jeff Louderback covers news and features on the White House and executive agencies for The Epoch Times. He also reports on Senate and House elections. A professional journalist since 1990, Jeff has a versatile background that includes covering news and politics, business, professional and college sports, and lifestyle topics for regional and national media outlets.