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Neilia Hunter Biden

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Neilia Hunter Biden
File:Neilia Hunter.jpeg
Born
Neilia Hunter

(1942-07-28)July 28, 1942
Skaneateles, New York, U.S.
DiedDecember 18, 1972(1972-12-18) (aged 30)
Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.
Cause of deathTraffic collision
Resting placeGreenville, Delaware, U.S.
Alma materSyracuse University (MA)
OccupationTeacher
Known forFirst wife of Joe Biden
Spouse
​
(m. 1966)​
Children
FamilyHunter (by birth)
Biden (by marriage)

Neilia Hunter Biden (née Hunter; July 28, 1942 – December 18, 1972) was an American teacher and the first wife of 46th U.S. President Joe Biden. She died in a car crash in 1972, while driving with her one-year-old daughter, Naomi; her two sons, Beau and Hunter, were critically injured but survived the wreck.

Early life and education

Neilia Hunter was born on July 28, 1942, in Skaneateles, New York, to Louise (née Basel; 1915–1993) and Robert Hunter (1914–1991).[1] She attended Penn Hall, a secondary boarding school in Pennsylvania. She was active in the school's French club, hockey, swimming, and student council.[2] After secondary school, she attended Syracuse University and was a school teacher in the Syracuse City School District.[1] She was related to former Auburn city councilman Robert Hunter.[3]

Marriage and family life

Neilia Hunter met Joe Biden in Nassau, Bahamas, while they were both on spring break.[4] Shortly after, Biden moved to Syracuse and attended law school. The couple married on August 27, 1966.[2] After the wedding, the Bidens moved to Wilmington, Delaware, where Biden was on the New Castle County Council. The couple had three children: Joseph Robinette "Beau", Robert Hunter and Naomi Christina "Amy".[5] While Biden campaigned to unseat U.S. Senator from Delaware J. Caleb Boggs, Neilia was described by The News Journal as the "brains" of his campaign.[2]

Death

On December 18, 1972, shortly after her husband became U.S. senator-elect, Neilia was driving with children Beau, Hunter and Naomi (3, 2 and 1 years old, respectively) west along rural Valley Road in Hockessin, Delaware. At the intersection with Delaware Route 7 (Limestone Road), she pulled out in front of a tractor-trailer truck traveling north along Route 7. Police determined that Neilia drove into the path of the tractor-trailer, possibly because her head was turned and she didn't see the oncoming truck.[6][7] All four occupants were taken to Wilmington General Hospital. Neilia and Naomi were pronounced dead on arrival, but her two sons survived with multiple serious injuries.[8][6][9] Joe Biden was later sworn into the Senate at the hospital where his sons were being treated.[2]

Legacy

In a commencement speech at Yale University in 2015, Biden spoke of his wife, saying, "The incredible bond I have with my children is the gift I'm not sure I would have had had I not been through what I went through [after the fatal accident]. But by focusing on my sons, I found my redemption."[10]

A park in a suburban area of unincorporated New Castle County, Delaware, outside the city of Wilmington, Neilia Hunter Biden Park, is dedicated in her memory.[11] Cayuga Community College in Auburn, New York, where Neilia's father ran the food service operation for many years, annually confers the Neilia Hunter Biden Award on two graduates, one for journalism and one for English literature.[12] Among the early winners was William "Bill" Fulton, who later served as mayor of Ventura, California.[citation needed]

References

  1. ^ a b "Neilia Hunter to marry J. R. Biden". The News Journal. Wilmington, Del. March 29, 1966. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d "Joe Biden Was Married To His First Wife, Neilia Hunter, For Only 6 Years". Women's Health. May 13, 2020. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  3. ^ Rocheleau, Kelly (April 1, 2020). "'A good, caring person': Former Auburn city councilor Robert Hunter remembered". Auburn Citizen. Auburn, New York. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  4. ^ Osnos, Evan (July 28, 2014). "The Evolution of Joe Biden". The New Yorker. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  5. ^ Sarika Jagtiani; Meredith Newman; Andrew Sharp (September 25, 2019). "Hunter Biden: A brief bio of former Vice President Joe Biden's son". The News Journal. Wilmington, Del. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Ott, Tim (September 28, 2020). "Joe Biden: The Heartbreaking Car Accident that Killed His Wife and Daughter". Biography.com. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  7. ^ Hamilton, Carl (October 30, 2008). "Daughter of man in '72 Biden crash seeks apology from widowed Senator". Newark Post.
  8. ^ McBride, Jessica (April 25, 2019). "How Did Joe Biden's First Wife, Neilia Hunter, Die?". Heavy.com. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  9. ^ Macon, Alexandra (November 17, 2016). "Joe and Jill Biden's Love Story Will Pull at Your Heartstrings". Vogue. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  10. ^ Lauren Holter (October 7, 2015). "What Happened To Joe Biden's First Wife, Neilia, And Daughter Naomi? It's A Heartbreaking Story". Bustle. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  11. ^ "Neilia Hunter Biden Park". Foursquare City Guide. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
  12. ^ "The Joe Biden Auburn met 48 years ago". Auburn Pub. August 23, 2020.
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