Tom Hanks' daughter reveals mother's violent struggles
- E.A. Hanks recounts her troubled childhood under the care of her mother Susan Dillingham, who exhibited signs of emotional and physical violence.
- After years of neglect and instability, E.A. ultimately moved to live with her father Tom Hanks following a significant incident of violence.
- Her upcoming memoir explores her complex relationship with her mother and their family's turbulent dynamics.
In the United States, Elizabeth Anne Hanks, commonly known as E.A. Hanks, has opened up about her childhood experiences, particularly regarding her late mother Susan Dillingham and their complicated family dynamics. After her parents' separation in 1985, E.A. and her brother Colin Hanks lived primarily with their mother, who she describes as emotionally and physically troubled. The situation escalated over the years, marked by neglect and disturbing conditions in their home, leading E.A. to perceive her mother's behavior as indicative of an undiagnosed mental illness, particularly bipolar disorder. As a child, E.A.'s relationship with her father, actor Tom Hanks, became strained due to her mother's erratic actions. At one point, Susan took E.A. and Colin out of school without informing Tom, prompting him to track them down, which showcases the instability they faced. As E.A. narrates in her memoir titled "The 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road," their living environment deteriorated significantly, with descriptions of an unkempt home filled with expired food and overwhelming neglect. The tumultuous home life took a toll, ultimately leading to a change in custody. Following an incident of physical violence on the part of Susan, E.A. moved to Los Angeles to live with her father as she transitioned into seventh grade. This decision marked a significant shift in her life, removing her from the neglectful situation she had experienced under her mother’s care. Her memoir recounts this journey and reflects on the profound impact these early experiences had on her. In her memoir, E.A. details a road trip she took years later as she sought to understand her mother better while uncovering her family's history. The trip, from Los Angeles to Florida, represented a personal quest to reconcile her feelings about her mother, revealing the complexity of their relationship shaped by love, confusion, and trauma. While Tom Hanks gained the primary custody of E.A. after the violent incident, Susan Dillingham passed away from lung cancer in 2002, leaving a lasting imprint on E.A.'s memory and familial connections.