Vice President J.D. Vance’s mother shares addiction recovery journey in Carrollton

Beverly Vance Aikins, the mother of U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and a well-known advocate for addiction recovery, recently addressed the Carroll County Republican Women’s Quarter Auction at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Hall in Carrollton.

Organizers described her appearance as a milestone moment for the county, bringing the personal testimony of the mother of a sitting vice president to a local stage. Aikins spoke candidly about her journey through substance abuse, recovery and faith.

She was honored during the evening when Aaron J. “Pottsy” Potts presented her with a Pottsy Flower in recognition of her perseverance and dedication to helping others.

Aikins once built a promising career in nursing, but a single Vicodin for a headache marked the beginning of an addiction that eventually led her to heroin. Over time, she lost her license, endured five marriages and lived in her car.

In 2015, with support from friends and her church, she entered a sober living program in Covington, Kentucky. That decision proved to be a turning point, and she has since maintained her sobriety for 10 years. Today, she works as a nurse at an addiction recovery center in the Cincinnati area, where she mentors people facing the same struggles she once did.

Her story gained national attention in her son’s bestselling memoir "Hillbilly Elegy" and the subsequent film adaptation. More recently, she stood alongside her son at the 2024 Republican National Convention, where he introduced her to the crowd as “10 years clean and sober.”

Potts explained the symbolism behind the unique metal flower. “The center of the flower has 13 stars, which represent the original 13 colonies,” he said. “Around the stars there are 50 welded bolts that represent the 50 states of the United States. There is a cross on the stem which signifies the country being built on faith. I added a blossom of wrenches and drill bits on one of the flowers on the stem to represent the hardworking people who built the nation.”

Potts said he marks all his flowers with a serial number, and this piece marked a 17,000 milestone. The project took between eight and 10 hours, and the entire team signed the back of the work.

“When I was first contacted by Patty Oyer to do this, I was multitasking and didn’t fully register the request,” Potts said. “I told Oyer I would get back to her and hung up. Ten minutes later my wife comes home, and I told her I was just asked to build a flower for the vice president’s mom. I told her I should probably call back, and I did.”

The Carroll County gathering also featured an auction, drawings, Republican merchandise and food from Candlelight Catering. Judge Katelyn Dickey of the 7th District Court of Appeals served as master of ceremonies, guiding an evening that combined community fellowship with fundraising.