Jill Biden Salutes Betty Ford in a Speechless Moment

National First Ladies Conference highlights Ford’s courage and vulnerability and declares the field of first ladies studies is ‘flourishing.’

First Lady Dr. Jill Biden sits quietly at the Gerald R. Ford Foundation’s First Ladies Luncheon in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Friday as her remarks are delivered by Carolyn Mazure, chairwoman of the White House’s initative on Women’s Health Research. (Credit: Myra Gutin)

First Lady Dr. Jill Biden was mostly speechless when she made a stop in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Friday during the Gerald R. Ford Foundation’s Annual First Ladies Luncheon to honor former First Lady Betty Ford for her barrier-breaking courage in publicly disclosing her experiences with breast cancer and substance use disorder. 

Biden, who was reportedly under the weather, arrived at the event to speak about her Women’s Health Research Initiative. In an audibly raspy voice, Biden told a crowd of more than 300 that when she woke up that morning she realized she lost her voice. Before handing over the podium to Carolyn Mazure, chairwoman of the initiative, Biden told attendees she was uncertain how she would deliver her spe…