Lindsey Graham’s Sister Confirms the Reason He Never Married

Intro Donald Trump was my friend um before the riot and I'm trying to keep a relationship with him after the riot uh I still consider him a friend uh what happened was a dark day in American history ly Graham the senior United States senator from South Carolina has been a fixture in American politics for decades known for his sharp wit Southern draw and sometimes Maverick stance with his party Graham has nav ated the turbulent Waters of Washington DC with a unique personal story tucked away behind his public Persona as we unravel the personal history that shaped one of America's most well-known Senators we'll explore not just the reason Lindsey Graham never married but the circumstances that molded him into the man he is today humble beginnings this room was The Humble Beginnings not your bedroom it wasn't your brother Lindsay's bedroom it wasn't your parents bedroom it was the room where you lived the one room where we all slept we all ate we watched TV the sofa everything was in the one room born in 1955 Graham's early years were far from the polished Halls of the Senate his childhood home was the back room of the sanitary Cafe a combination pool hall and restaurant owned and operated by his parents Florence and FJ Graham the sanitary Cafe was more than just a business it was the heart of Graham's Family Life young Lindsay grew up in in an environment that was anything but ordinary he took baths with water heated up on the stove and shared a bathroom with the bar's patrons this unconventional upbringing fostered a sense of Independence and resilience in his Memoir my story Graham paints a vivid picture of his childhood he writes about sneaking sips of beer and puffs of cigarettes when patrons weren't looking earning him the nickname stink ball among the regulars while he admits that quote parents would probably lose custody of their children today if they let them behave as independently and as rascally as I did Graham maintains that growing up at the sanitary Cafe was quote a great way to grow up but it also exposed young Lindsay to the harsh realities of the era the bar was segregated a fact that Graham acknowledges with regret in his Memoir times being what they were most of our customers were white he writes it wasn't until the early 70s that the bar became desegregated quote much later than it should have The Turning Point the Turning Point she had been sick and nothing was happening and we finally changed doctors and he pulled up you know just really disheveled and he came in and he was just crying and he said your mom's not going to make it and I think they told him that she was in the last stage of hodkin stage 4 as lindsy Graham was finding his footing as a young adult tragedy struck the Graham Family within a span of just 15 months both of his parents passed away Lindsay was only 22 a college student at the University of South Carolina where he found himself facing a future without the guiding presence of his mother and father the loss was devastating not just emotionally but practically Lindsay's sister Darlene was only 13 at the time in an instant the Graham siblings went from being a typical family to orphans with Lindsay suddenly thrust into a parental role for which he had never prepared in recent campaign ads and interviews Darlene Graham nordone has shed light on this difficult period She recounts how Lindsay stepped up in the wake of their parents deaths assuring her that he would take care of her and be there for her quote it was hard when we lost my mom and dad Darlene says Lindsay assured me that he was going to take care of me he was going to be there for me he never let me down never the responsibility of Brotherhood The Responsibility of Brotherhood you know as a young man I had challenges like most people I lost my parents when I was 22 had a 13-year-old sister to raise and with the help from my aunt and uncle I was able to help her get through college my family my friends in faith picked me up when I was down you know we kind of got wiped out when my mom got Hotchkins disease I'm the first in my family to go to college but it comes to being commander Chief and I think that's a very important decision for the country to make I would argue I'm the best qualified to take this fight to radical Islam and protect this nation above all others including Hillary Clinton faced with this immense responsibility Lindsay made a decision that would define the trajectory of his life rather than focusing solely on his own future and career prospects he chose to become a guardian figure for his younger sister he arranged for Darlene to live with their aunt and uncle in senica while he continued his studies at the University of South Carolina but this was far from an abdication of responsibility every weekend without fail he would make the journey home to spend time with Darlene before joining the US Air Force he took the significant step of becoming Darlene's legal guardian this decision was driven by a practical need to provide insurance and benefits for his sister further demonstrating his dedication to her welfare The Road Not Taken it's within The Road Not Taken the context of familial responsibility that we begin to understand why Lindsey Graham never married the sudden thrust into a parental role at such a young age inevitably impacted his personal life and romantic prospects in his Memoir he provides some insight into his bachelorhood with his characteristic self-deprecating humor he writes quote I've never married I guess I attribute that to time too the opportunity never presented itself at the right time or I never found time to meet the right girl or the right girl was smart enough not to have time for me but behind the quips lies a deeper truth the time and emotional energy Graham invested in caring for his sister during his formative years likely left little room for pursuing serious romantic relationships Dr Elizabeth Lombardo a psychologist and author offers insight into the phenomenon quote when individuals take on significant caregiving responsibilities at a young age it can delay or alter their personal development trajectory near misses your Senate Near Misses colleagues like you media likes you a lot of Voters like you cuz you're you're a a happy go-lucky guy and I'm wondering where that comes from well my dad owned a bar and if you own a bar the goal is to get people to come into the bar and stay as long as they can and drink and the more they like you the longer they'll drink despite his enduring bachelorhood Lindsey Graham has come close to marriage on at least one occasion during his time in the US Air Force stationed in Germany in the80s Graham became involved with a Lanza flight attendant named Sylvia greme describes the relationship as being serious quickly he even considered proposing to Sylvia marking perhaps his closest brush with matrimony but the relationship ultimately didn't work out Graham cites the challenges of a long-distance relationship and his desire to return to South Carolina as factors for their separation he had a girlfriend named Debbie in law school and another named Carol a Jag officer during his time in the Air Force these relationships while significant never culminated in marriage the choice of Public Service it The Choice of Public Service is truly my honor to present to you the next president of the United States Lindsay Graham as Graham's political career began to take shape his commitment to Public Service further complicated his personal life the demands of political life with its long hours public scrutiny and constant travel can be challenging for even the most stable of relationships Grahams rise through the political ranks from the South Carolina House of Representatives to the US House of Representatives and finally the US Senate required an immense amount of time and dedication this commitment to his career coupled with his ongoing responsibilities to his sister left little room for cultivating a long-term romantic relationship in a 2015 inter interview Graham reflected on this aspect of his life quote having a marriage and a good family and children is a blessing but I don't think I'm a defective person by any means public perception and speculation Public Perception and Speculation well I'm very disappointed in Lindsay I sometimes wonder what uniform he puts on each morning when he goes out to the field to play and I'm not just talking about the partisan uniform but but I think to uh to bring that kind of criticism and to call the chairman of the house Intel committee who is a person of Integrity to call him an Spectre cluso uh to to use those kind of terms basically to diminish him it's very unfortunate it's demeaning Graham's status as one of the few lifelong bachelors in highlevel American politics has inevitably led to public curiosity in 2018 comedian Chelsea Handler sparked a debate when she implied on social media that Graham might be gay Graham responded to these comments directly saying number one she knows zero about me to the extent that it matters I'm not gay Graham's response to the speculation has consistently been one of dismissal rather than anger he maintains that his personal life is his own business and that his marital status should not be a factor in evaluating his political career the legacy of choice date Mary or The Legacy of Choice disappear forever Hillary Clinton Carly fiorina Sarah Palin I didn't know we were going to do the Mormon thing here uh um um date marry or make disappear forever take your time Senator we've got all night uh we can't go beyond dating that's as far as I'm going dating who do you want to date do you want to date Hillary Clinton car or Sarah no no no so you have to pick one one of them you date one of them you marry and one one of them you make disappear forever and we'll go hunting on our first dat as we reflect on Lindsey Grahams personal Journey it becomes clear his bachelorhood is not simply a quirk of Fate but the result of a series of choices and commitments from the tragedy that befell his family in his early adulthood to his dedication to Public Service Graham's life path led him away from the traditional root of marriage and family Dr Bella dulo a social psychologist and author of singled out offers this perspective quote Society often views lifelong singles through a lens of pity or suspicion but for many like Senator Graham remaining unmarried is a valid life choice that allows them to focus on other priorities be it career family responsibilities or public service now it's time to hear from you Outro how do you think personal responsibilities and life circumstances shape our choices in Love and Marriage let us know in the comments section below