Quote · On Purpose with Jay Shetty
Dr. Jill Biden: The Hardest Moments No One Saw (The Untold Story of the White House Years)
Where this was said
Breaking the Stigma Around Addiction
At 1:01:26 · chapter starts 59:18
The section on Hunter Biden's addiction is quiet and devastating. For extended periods, the Biden family simply didn't know where Hunter was. He was cycling through rehab programs; communication went dark for weeks. His daughters kept asking where their father was, and no one had an answer. [1] — Dr. Jill Biden "For years, the Biden family had no idea where Hunter was as he cycled through rehab after rehab. His daughters kept asking where Daddy was.…" 58:28 Jill flew in a professional interventionist and orchestrated a meeting at the family home. Hunter walked in, saw what was happening, and bolted. Joe chased him out of the house and held him. Jill's initial reaction — 'we gave him everything, why would he turn to drugs?' — is one she now recognizes as a misunderstanding of what addiction actually is. It's a disease. And loving someone through a disease sometimes means holding on even when they run. Hunter has now been sober for seven to eight years, is remarried, has a young son named Beau, and is using his experience to help others in recovery.
Hunter Biden has been sober for approximately seven to eight years after a prolonged addiction battle that included multiple rehab stints and periods where his family didn't know his whereabouts.
Jill Biden now wishes she had spoken more openly about Hunter Biden's addiction during her time as First Lady. So many families are dealing with the same thing in silence, and people need to know they are not alone. Addiction is a disease — and the stigma is costing lives.
