Tom Hank’s Daughter Reveals Heartbreaking Effects of Childhood Abuse and Trauma!

Elizabeth Ann Hanks, better known as E.A., daughter of actor Tom Hanks, has shared a deeply personal and heartbreaking account of her childhood in her new memoir, The 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road. In the book, she opens up about the confusion, violence, and neglect she faced during her formative years, particularly following her parents’ divorce and her subsequent move from Los Angeles to Sacramento.

The Turmoil of a Divorced Family

When E.A. was young, her parents, Tom Hanks and his first wife, Susan Dillingham (also known as Samantha Lewes), went through a highly publicized divorce. The separation had a profound impact on E.A. and her brother, leaving them in a turbulent and unstable environment.

In her memoir, E.A. reflects on how the divorce led to her family’s fragmentation. She recalls a particularly painful moment: “My dad came to pick us up from school and we’re not there. And it turns out we haven’t been there for two weeks and he has to track us down,” she writes. This chaotic situation marked the beginning of a challenging period in her life.

Eventually, a divorce agreement was reached, and E.A. would spend weekends and summers with her dad and his new wife, Rita Wilson, as well as her younger half-brothers. However, much of her childhood Tom Hanks continued to be filled with feelings of abandonment and neglect.

Childhood Neglect and Abuse

In her book, E.A. doesn’t shy away from revealing the painful and disturbing experiences she endured while living with her mother. She claims that her mother’s emotional abuse eventually escalated to physical violence. E.A. writes about being pushed, shaken, and even locked in a closet. She also recalls her mother’s unsettling stories about men hiding in the closet, waiting to harm her.

“…She pushed me, shook me, Tom Hanks pulled at my hair and locked me in a closet once or twice… she told me there were men hiding in her closet who were waiting for us to go to sleep to come out and do horrible things,” E.A. writes in the memoir. These experiences left lasting emotional scars, and the effects of this trauma lingered into adulthood.

Lasting Effects on E.A.’s Life

E.A., now 42, reflects on how Tom Hanks troubled childhood still affects her daily life. She describes difficulties in maintaining personal hygiene, a result of growing up in a situation where basic care wasn’t always a priority. “Only sporadically did I ever have an adult telling me to brush my teeth, for example, Tom Hanks let alone how or why I should,” E.A. writes. She also reveals that she hadn’t been to a dentist for over a decade by the time she was in her thirties.

Furthermore, E.A. suffers from excoriation disorder, a condition that causes her to excessively pick at her skin. She admits that even though she works hard to control the behavior, it still affects her life: “I still pick badly though I work hard not to,” she shares.

A Mother’s Struggles and Untreated Mental Health

As E.A. got older, her mother’s health began to deteriorate. By the time E.A. was 14, Susan revealed that she had been diagnosed with bone cancer. E.A. moved to Los Angeles to live with her father, visiting Sacramento on weekends and during the summer. Despite the physical distance, the emotional trauma continued.

In her memoir, E.A. writes that she believes her mother may have suffered from undiagnosed bipolar disorder, which could have contributed to her erratic and abusive behavior. Susan passed away in 2002 at the age of 49, a devastating blow to E.A., who had to process the complex emotions tied to their troubled relationship.

Coming to Terms with the Past

In her memoir, E.A. doesn’t seek pity or sympathy but instead tells her story with the hope of healing and helping others who may have gone through similar struggles. Despite the abuse and neglect, E.A. has come to terms with her past, acknowledging that her journey has been one of resilience and survival.

Her story is a reminder of the lasting effects childhood trauma can have and Tom Hanks the importance of breaking the silence around emotional and physical abuse. Through her writing, E.A. has taken the first steps Tom Hanks toward healing, and perhaps, in sharing her story, she can inspire others to find their own path to recovery.