Who was Joe Biden’s first wife, Neilia Hunter-Biden? The US president called the mother of Beau and Hunter Biden the ‘brains’ behind his political career – but then tragedy struck
- Neilia Hunter-Biden and Joe Biden met in The Bahamas in 1964 while they were uni students and married just 2 years later; Joe later ran for office and become the sixth youngest senator in US history
- Tragically, Neilia was killed in an accident days before Christmas in 1972; their 13-month-old baby Naomi also passed away, and Joe took oath for the Senate standing next to his sons’ hospital beds
But before Jill, Joe was married to Neilia Hunter, a teacher who he has referred to as the “brains” behind his political career, per USA Today. Neilia, as well as her and Joe’s 13-month-old baby girl, were killed in a tragic accident in 1972.
Here is what you need to know about the other woman who led Joe Biden’s life.
What is Neilia Hunter-Biden’s background?
Born in 1942, Neilia Hunter-Biden was the daughter of well-known “diner operators” in New York. Per Independent, she attended Penn Hall Preparatory School in Pennsylvania and was an active hockey player, swimmer and photography editor of The Penntonian. She grew up in Skaneateles, a wealthy town in New York State.
How did Joe Biden and Neilia Hunter-Biden meet?
Neilia was attending Syracuse University when she met Joe in The Bahamas. Joe was a student at the University of Delaware and was in Nassau, the country’s capital, when he first spotted Neilia sitting by the pool.
In his 2007 memoir Promises to Keep, Joe wrote that Neilia planned on becoming a junior high school teacher. He asked her out on a date that night and, as they were walking back home, he knew he was going to marry her.