Elizabeth Ann Boomer was born in Chicago on April 8, 1918. Called Betty by friends and family. Betty grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan, she graduated high school there and went on to Bennington College in Vermont and studied modern dance, and then went on to study with Martha Graham's dance group in New York. She was fortunate enough to support herself as a model.

Betty grew up in a tight-knit family. At 24 she married and later devorced after five years of marriage. It was not long after that that she met Gerald Ford. They were married in 1948 and proceeded to have a family of four children and the following 10 years

Mrs Ford was very active, she was a mother and a young politicians's wife. Her life was filled with dinners receptions, and campaigns. With a full social calendar and loving family it seems she had everything all together. However, there was a dark secret. A hurddle that she would have to have to fight hard to come back from.

what Mrs. Ford overcame was her alcoholism and addiction to pills. Her family all gathered close to her and helped her all the way back. When she went public, this helped a lot of people who like her were lost in their deseases.

After a family intervention Mrs. Ford went into treatment and learned how to live with the desease. Mrs. Ford knew that there were a lot of people out there who suffered with her desease and she wanted to help others. With a lot of hard work, she created a center for just that purpose. The Betty Ford Center opened in October 1982 and since then has treated over 35,000 patients. Mrs. Ford fought a couragous fight.

After being first lady she went on to become a spokesperson for many causes helping people with addictions.