Confronting Betty Ford’s addiction
Witness History14 Jan 2025

Confronting Betty Ford’s addiction

In 1978, former first lady of the United States, Betty Ford, announced that she had an addiction to alcohol and prescription medication, and would be seeking treatment.

Wife of the 38th US president Gerald Ford, her openness and honesty about her addictions was remarkable for its time and was headline news.

But it was her daughter, Susan Ford, who had organised the family intervention to confront her mother about her addiction, prompting her to seek help.

Susan Ford Bales remembers the moment she knocked on her mother's door early in the morning with the rest of her family and begged her to get help.

Betty Ford would go on to establish the Betty Ford Center in Rancho Mirage, California to help others struggling with addiction.

Susan Ford tells her and her mother’s story to Colm Flynn.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.

(Photo: Betty Ford. Credit: Getty Images)

Episoder(2000)

How a Maasai community in Kenya overcame a deadly drought

How a Maasai community in Kenya overcame a deadly drought

In 2013, after losing most of their cattle, a Maasai community in Kajiado County formed an organisation to protect their land and culture.It's called ‘Ildalalekutuk Maasai Action for Development' and ...

25 Mar 10min

The only Pope to visit New Zealand

The only Pope to visit New Zealand

In November 1986, Pope John Paul II visited New Zealand as part of his longest ever world tour.He gave an open-air mass at Auckland Domain in front of thousands of people.He remains the only Pope to h...

24 Mar 10min

The reunification of Germany

The reunification of Germany

When the Berlin Wall fell on 9 November 1989, it marked a turning point in the Cold War in Europe and set in motion the process that led to the reunification of East and West Germany. But before tha...

23 Mar 10min

Women's rights in independent Tunisia

Women's rights in independent Tunisia

It's 70 years since Tunisian gained independence from France.In August 1956, it brought in a new equality law that revolutionised women's lives.Under the socialist President Habib Bourguiba, the North...

20 Mar 10min

The 'Cyprus Emergency'

The 'Cyprus Emergency'

Between 1955 and 1959, a Greek-Cypriot paramilitary group called EOKA rebelled against British colonial rule in Cyprus. In response, the British authorities declared a state of emergency. A young Cypr...

19 Mar 10min

Oslo's anti-racism demonstration

Oslo's anti-racism demonstration

On 1 February 2001, at least 30,000 people rallied in Oslo after the murder of 15-year-old Benjamin Hermansen by neo-Nazis.It is thought to be Norway's first racially motivated killing.News reports sa...

18 Mar 10min

The L'Amicale Four

The L'Amicale Four

In 1999, a fire at the L’Amicale gambling house in Port Louis, Mauritius, killed seven people. The fire began during riots that followed a disputed football final between the Catholic Fire Brigade and...

17 Mar 10min

The nuclear mango deal

The nuclear mango deal

On 2 March 2006, the United States and India finalised a controversial nuclear deal, ending India's three decades of international isolation over its nuclear policy. Sweetening the deal, President Geo...

16 Mar 11min

Populært innen Samfunn

rss-spartsklubben
aftenpodden
giver-og-gjengen-vg
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
konspirasjonspodden
aftenpodden-usa
rss-nesten-hele-uka-med-lepperod
popradet
rss-henlagt-andy-larsgaard
grenselos
wolfgang-wee-uncut
min-barneoppdragelse
synnve-og-vanessa
fladseth
rss-dannet-uten-piano
alt-fortalt
rss-dette-ma-aldri-skje-igjen
frokostshowet-pa-p5
198-land-med-einar-trnquist
rss-frekvens-med-anine-olsen