Former President Joe Biden and his household have endured a number of tragedies over time.
Biden married his first spouse, Neilia Hunter, in 1966. The couple shared two sons, Joseph “Beau” Biden III and Hunter Biden, and a daughter, Naomi “Amy” Biden.
Weeks after Joe was elected to the Senate in 1972, Neilia and their three children had been concerned in a automobile accident. Beau and Hunter survived the crash however Neilia and Amy tragically died.
Years after mourning his spouse and daughter, Joe met Jill Biden. The couple wed in 1975 and welcomed daughter Ashley Biden in 1981.
All through his struggles, Joe remained a devoted public servant. He served as a Senator from 1973 to 2009 earlier than changing into Barack Obama’s vice chairman. In 2020, Joe was elected because the forty sixth president of the USA.
Joe initially was going to run for a second time period. Nonetheless, in July 2024, Joe withdrew from the election after he obtained considerations from the general public about his age and well being. (Joe was 81 years previous on the time.)
In Could 2025, information broke that Joe was recognized with prostate most cancers.
Preserve scrolling to see the tragedies that Joe and his household have endured over time:
Neilia Hunter and Naomi Biden’s Deaths
In December 1972, Neilia, Amy, Beau and Hunter had been concerned in a automobile accident whereas Christmas purchasing. The Biden household’s station wagon was hit by a tractor-trailer after Neilia by chance drove into the trail of the oncoming car.
Neilia, Amy, Beau and Hunter had been pulled from the wreckage and rushed to Wilmington Common Hospital. Neilia and Amy had been pronounced useless on arrival. They had been 30 and 13 months, respectively.
Biden’s sons survived the accident however sustained accidents. Beau had a damaged leg whereas Hunter had a fractured cranium.
“The ache … appeared insufferable at first, and it took me a very long time to heal, however I did survive the punishing ordeal,” Joe wrote of the tragedy in his 2017 memoir, Promise Me, Dad. “I made it by way of, with plenty of help, and reconstructed my life and my household.”
Joe Biden’s Mind Surgical procedures
In 1988, Joe started to undergo from extreme neck ache, which was attributable to a leaking intracranial berry aneurysm. Whereas recovering from surgical procedure, Joe suffered from a pulmonary embolism. The procedures and restoration stored Joe away from the Senate for seven months.
Beau Biden’s Most cancers Battle and Demise
In 2013, Beau was recognized with glioblastoma multiforme, which is a kind of most cancers that begins as a development of cells within the mind or spinal wire, per Mayo Clinic. Beau underwent surgical procedure to take away a lesion. He additionally accomplished radiation and chemotherapy remedies.
Two years after his analysis, Beau died following a recurrence of mind most cancers. He was 46.
Hunter Biden’s Substance Abuse Struggles
Hunter shared in his 2021 memoir, Lovely Issues, that he battled dependancy all through his grownup life. He shared that his struggles began with alcohol when he was a teen earlier than turning to crack cocaine. Hunter defined that he believed his battle stemmed from dropping his mom and sister.
“There have been additionally instances, I’ve to confess, after I felt as if nobody else may perceive my ache. It appeared narcissistic even to ponder. But that didn’t make it really feel any much less true,” he penned. “Believing that your ache is outstanding doesn’t reduce anybody else’s. Ache is our common situation. Folks can undergo life with out discovering love, however nobody lives lengthy with out experiencing actual damage. It will possibly join us or isolate us.”
Hunter has sought therapy for his dependancy struggles and confronted a number of authorized points.
Joe Biden’s Withdrawal From the 2024 Election
In July 2024, Joe introduced that he was withdrawing from the 2024 presidential election after the general public raised considerations about his age and well being following a debate towards Donald Trump.
“It has been the best honor of my life to function your President. And whereas it has been my intention to hunt reelection, I imagine it’s in the very best curiosity of my celebration and the nation for me to face down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the rest of my time period,” he wrote in a letter shared via X.
Joe subsequently endorsed his vice chairman, Kamala Harris, to run in his place. Harris finally misplaced to Trump.
Joe Biden’s Most cancers Analysis
Months after leaving the White Home, Joe was recognized with an “aggressive” type of prostate most cancers.
“Final week, President Joe Biden was seen for a brand new discovering of a prostate nodule after experiencing rising urinary signs,” learn a Could 2025 assertion from Biden’s private workplace to CNN. “On Friday, he was recognized with prostate most cancers, characterised by a Gleason rating of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone.”
The assertion added that Joe and his household had been “reviewing therapy choices along with his physicians.”
After information broke about his situation, Joe took to social media to interrupt his silence.
“Most cancers touches us all,” he captioned a Could 2025 Instagram put up. “Like so lots of you, Jill and I’ve realized that we’re strongest within the damaged locations. Thanks for lifting us up with love and help.”