Ann Romney, the wife of former Massachusetts Governor and two-time Republican Presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, has written a new memoir published by Thomas Dunne titled “In This Together: My Story.” In the book she talks about her life and how she has coped with the debilitating disease of Multiple Sclerosis which with she was diagnosed in 1998. At the time of her diagnosis, there were no effective therapies or treatments available. Speaking with Newsmax Health editor, Nick Tate, on “Newsmax Prime,” she commented:
It was an unwelcome teacher but it certainly humbled me and it humbled me to the point where it kind of destroyed my feelings of who I really was as a person.
From that point, you have to then grow and to figure out what’s important in life and who you are. It’s uncomfortable, it’s unpleasant, it’s painful but when you come out the other end, you’re, in a very strange way, grateful that you had that personal growth because of the pain you went through.
Ann fully realizes that the pain she has suffered has not been as great as the pain that many others deal with, nevertheless, the experience has helped open her heart to those who do suffer. She further remarked, “I have been low and depressed and in a very dark and scary place but through certain things I was able to pull myself through that and it’s a message of hope.”
A Never Ending Love Story
Ann would not be able to keep pressing forward like she does if it were not for the loving support of her husband, Mitt, who refers to her as his sweetheart.
Ann Lois Davies was born on 16 April 1949 and was raised in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Willard Mitt Romney, or Mitt as he is known, was born on 12 March 1947 in Detroit, Michigan. They first met in elementary school when he was a Cub Scout. She was riding a horse and he threw stones at her. Their first date, on 21 March 1965, was at the movies to see “The Sound of Music.” They dated through high school, and in June 1965, 18-year-old Mitt asked 16-year-old Ann if she would marry him, and her immediate response was, “Yes.”
The two were finally married on 21 March 1969. Mitt was 22 years of age, and Ann was 19. The first part of the wedding took place at Ann’s parents’ home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, in a civil ceremony which was officiated by Elder Edwin Jones of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Approximately 250 guests were in attendance, including President Ford, and President Nixon sent congratulations to the couple via a telegram. The next morning they flew to Salt lake City, Utah, where they were sealed for time and eternity in the Salt Lake Temple.They spent their honeymoon in Hawaii.
Ann is also blessed to have the love and support of five sons. Taggart Romney (Tagg), born in 1970, works in marketing and is married to Jennifer. Matthew Romney (Matt), born in 1971, works in real estate and is married to Laurie. Joshua Romney (Josh), born in 1975, is a real estate developer and is married to Jen. Benjamin Romney (Ben), born in 1978, is a medical student and is married to Andelynne. And Craig Romney, born in 1981, is an advertising music producer and is married to Mary.
A Public Voice and a Special Cause
For the past year, Ann, now the grandmother of 23, has been actively engaged in raising funds and making appearances on behalf of a Brigham and Women’s Hospital facility in Boston that now bears her name: Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases. The facility was designed as “a one-stop shop where patients can get diagnoses, advice, treatment, and participate in studies and clinical trials.” It is nonpartisan. Marc Mezvinsky, the husband of Chelsea Clinton, and Congressman Joseph P. Kennedy III sit on the advisory board along with Mitt, Ann, and television personalities Meredith Vieira and Montel Williams.
Speaking about the research that is being conducted and the strides that have been made, Ann has said:
It studies not just Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, ALS, Parkinson’s and brain tumors. This center is up and it’s running. It’s got 250 scientists and researchers already working on cures and treatments for these neurologic diseases. Right now in our labs, we have a vaccine for Alzheimer’s that is in obviously experimental stages, but doctors are believing within our lifetime we will see the ability to tackle some of these really tough diseases. For the very first time, there is a drug for ALS that’s in the lab that’s going to be coming out within the next year.
The book takes you through the years I struggled to get more energy. I am strong now and I’m well now and that is the reason I’m doing this. You don’t have to think that you’re going to be permanently that way. You can fight though these things.
Everyone is carrying a burden, and we can’t always see it. MS was a cruel teacher, and it’s not like I’m grateful I had it, you’re never grateful for that, but I have to say that it taught me a lot. You have to recognize that life has challenges and none of us can escape those challenges.
Success as a Grandma
Life isn’t strictly all business. In the midst of her ever busy schedule, Ann recently took time out to record a 90 second video (see below) for the Independent Journal Review in which she shares the qualities that all amazing grandmas have. The video is titled “How to be a Freakin’ Awesome Grandma with Ann Romney.” She shows off her awesome grandma skills with the knitting of a “Kanye 2020” sweatshirt, demonstrating her slaying light saber skills, keeping her kitchen stocked with mounds of treats, and wearing a gold chain with a sideways baseball cap. Her number one rule is “Always know your squad” as she names all 23 of her grandchildren.
Through both trials and triumphs in her life Ann has learned a valuable life lesson, “You can never ask God to tell you what the end is. You can ask, “Is this a good thing to do?” But not, “How is this going to turn out?” That answer you will never get.”
Ann Romney, wife of former Massachusetts Governor and Republican nominee in the 2012 U.S. presidential election, Mitt Romney, has plans to launch the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases which will encompass research for Multiple Sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Lou Gehrig’s (ALS) and brain tumors. The center which is scheduled to open in 2016 at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts will have a staff comprised of 200 scientists led by Dr. Howard Weiner and Dr. Dennis Selkoe.
An Invested Interest
Ann has a personal interest invested in this undertaking. The mother of five sons and grandmother of twenty-two grandchildren, she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis just before Thanksgiving in 1998 and credits a mixture of mainstream and alternative treatments, as well as activities such as equestrianism, with giving her a lifestyle mostly without limitations.
In a December 2002 news article on bostonherald.com, Mitt described watching his wife fail a series of neurological tests as the worst day of his life. He commented, “I couldn’t operate without Ann. We’re a partnership. We’ve always been a partnership so her being healthy and our being able to be together is essential.” Ann would later state in a news report in The Boston Globe dated 11 August 2004, “I was very sick in 1998 when I was diagnosed. I was pretty desperate, pretty frightened and very, very sick. It was tough at the beginning, just to think, this is how I’m going to feel for the rest of my life.” In an effort to combat the disease, she has employed steroids and medical procedures such as reflexology, acupuncture, and cranial-sacral therapy. Her MS has been in remission for over a decade, and is being managed by a healthy diet and exercise. She is also a board member for the New England chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.
A Wake-up Call and a New Mission in Life
During Mitt’s 2012 presidential campaign, Ann’s MS flared up and she had to leave the campaign trail. In a 13 October 2014 today.com article, she stated, “I hit empty. With MS you just run out of fuel. You just stop. You can’t even go on. You can’t even talk. It was a real good warning sign for me. A wake-up call.”
Dr. Howard Weiner is Ann’s doctor at Brigham, and the idea for a new research center came about two years ago after a routine visit. She asked him about his efforts to find a cure for MS and was surprised to discover that not only was a cure within reach, but also that MS research is leading to breakthroughs in a cure for Alzheimer’s. Dr. Weiner will be the co-director of the new center.
Her goal is to raise $50 million over the next year to create a new model for necessary research and funding. She and Mitt will be contributing some of their own money as well. According to a news article in The Boston Globe dated 14 October 2014, Ann’s vision is: “Instead of researchers working independently with separate funding, what would happen if they collaborated and pooled their research dollars?” In the today.com article she further stated, “I never would have imagined myself being in a position to have an impact. I don’t think of myself as anyone except just as a little girl that rides her horse. And then grew up and was a mommy. And now all of a sudden, I can have a voice. I want to not even be talking about this [disease] in 20 years. I want this resolved.” Dr. Weiner commented, “We’re going to bring together experts that hadn’t been working together across different fields to bring new treatments and ultimately a cure to these terrible neurologic diseases.”
In his book, “A Mother First,” Joshua Romney, the third oldest of the five Romney boys, concludes his tribute to his mother stating:
Although my father has many trusted advisors who are politically savvy and has many lifetimes’ worth of knowledge about politics and business, he relies on my mother for her wisdom, love, and guidance. I’m proud to say that all of us children feel the same way.
The debilitating disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), is perhaps more commonly referred to as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease.” According to the ALS Association website, it is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord.
Many people around the country are helping to raise awareness and raise financial support for research by accepting the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. The challenge dares nominated participants to be filmed having a bucket of ice water poured on their heads and nominating others to do the same. The persons who are nominated to take the challenge have 24 hours to either accept the challenge or forfeit by making a $100 charitable donation to research. Many people are accepting the challenge, as well as making a charitable donation to support the necessary research.
The activity went viral on social media in mid-2014 as many people to include everyday housewives, school students, teachers, college students, professionals, politicians, athletes, and even well-known celebrities have accepted the challenge. According to The New York Times, between 1 June 2014 and 13 August 2014, people have shared more than 1.2 million videos on Facebook and mentioned the phenomenon more than 2.2 million times on Twitter since 29 July 2014. Among those who have accepted the challenge are Mitt and Ann Romney. Their videos of accepting the challenge are posted below.
Greg Whiteley, a director and editor, is known for such productions as Resolved (2007), New York Doll (2005), and the January 2014 scheduled Netflix release of Mitt. The January 2014 release is a documentary about the presidential campaign of Mitt Romney, and follows his life up close and personal from Christmas 2006 to his initial run to become the Republican nominee in 2008, through his Presidential concession speech in 2012. Whiteley also has his own production company known as One Potato Productions.
Success as a Film Producer
Whiteley attended Brigham Young University (BYU) as an undergraduate. Following BYU, he earned a Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) degree from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.
He has had great success with the first two films which he directed and produced. His 2005 production, New York Doll – the story of Arthur “Killer” Kane, a recovering alcoholic and recently converted Mormon of the rock band The New York Dolls – was nominated for a Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, and Blender Magazine named it one of the best rock movies of all time. Whiteley knew Arthur Kane because they were both members of the same LDS Church congregation. (more…)
Long after the presidential election that saw the first Mormon candidate for a major political party has ended, people are still trying to figure out what the Mormon moment really meant for Mormons and for people who have an interest in the religion. Mormon is a nickname for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The Mormon moment, as it has been called, has had several rounds, including the Winter Olympics that were held in Utah and were rescued by Mitt Romney. Romney also set off the other Mormon moment when he ran for president. From time to time, Mormons surface as a hot news topic and this isn’t going to change.
What did the last Mormon moment accomplish? A study showed most people don’t think they learned much about Mormonism during the Romney campaign. However, referrals to missionaries were strong, suggesting that although huge numbers didn’t convert, a significant number did take advantage of the opportunity to learn more and many did join the Church after studying the truth about the faith. (more…)
Ann would not be able to keep pressing forward like she does if it were not for the loving support of her husband, Mitt, who refers to her as his sweetheart.
The two were finally married on 21 March 1969. Mitt was 22 years of age, and Ann was 19. The first part of the wedding took place at Ann’s parents’ home in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, in a civil ceremony which was officiated by Elder Edwin Jones of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Approximately 250 guests were in attendance, including President Ford, and President Nixon sent congratulations to the couple via a telegram. The next morning they flew to Salt lake City, Utah, where they were sealed for time and eternity in the Salt Lake Temple.They spent their honeymoon in Hawaii.
For the past year, Ann, now the grandmother of 23, has been actively engaged in raising funds and making appearances on behalf of a Brigham and Women’s Hospital facility in Boston that now bears her name: Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases. The facility was designed as “a one-stop shop where patients can get diagnoses, advice, treatment, and participate in studies and clinical trials.” It is nonpartisan. Marc Mezvinsky, the husband of Chelsea Clinton, and Congressman Joseph P. Kennedy III sit on the advisory board along with Mitt, Ann, and television personalities Meredith Vieira and Montel Williams.
Life isn’t strictly all business. In the midst of her ever busy schedule, Ann recently took time out to record a 90 second video (see below) for the Independent Journal Review in which she shares the qualities that all amazing grandmas have. The video is titled “How to be a Freakin’ Awesome Grandma with Ann Romney.” She shows off her awesome grandma skills with the knitting of a “Kanye 2020” sweatshirt, demonstrating her slaying light saber skills, keeping her kitchen stocked with mounds of treats, and wearing a gold chain with a sideways baseball cap. Her number one rule is “Always know your squad” as she names all 23 of her grandchildren.
