Kelly Speaks to Vance’s Family and Friends in First In-Depth Portrait of the “Hillbilly Elegy” Author

“Sunday Night” Also Features Cynthia McFadden’s Investigation of a Widespread Rehab Insurance Scheme

Harry Smith Visits the End of the Earth to Find Out What Penguins Might Tell Us About Climate Change  

Click Here to Watch a Preview of the June 25 Broadcast 

June 22, 2017 – In the first in-depth portrait of best-selling “Hillbilly Elegy” author J.D. Vance and his family, Vance opens up about watching his mother’s arrest as a child, telling NBC News’ Megyn Kelly: “In that moment I just felt relieved … and I thought to myself, ‘All right, I’m going to live another day.’” Vance explained how his mother’s threats of killing them in a car crash lead to her arrest, adding: “I also think that moment is kind of a microcosm of my entire life, is that there was this brief moment of terror and of feeling really lonely, and then there was [sister] Lindsay.” To watch the exchange, click here. The transcript of the preview is included below. 

From a troubled childhood in the rust belt to success in Silicon Valley, Vance has bridged both red states and blue with “Hillbilly Elegy.” In his “Sunday Night” interview with Megyn Kelly, airing June 25 at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT, he opens up about his story like never before. For the first time, Vance’s sister Lindsay talks about her relationship with Vance and her emotional reaction to the memoir. Kelly also sits down with Vance’s wife, Usha Chilukuri, and his law school teacher Amy Chua, author of “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother.”

Also on “Sunday Night,” NBC News correspondent Cynthia McFadden investigates a widespread rehab insurance kick-back scheme making some people rich by encouraging relapse instead of recovery in Palm Beach County. Additionally, NBC News correspondent Harry Smith travels to the end of the earth to find out what penguins might tell us about climate change and why everyone should care. Smith joins Ron Naveen, the “Birdman of Antarctica,” and Dr. Heather Lynch to explore.  

“Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly” is produced by the NBC News Primetime team, with Senior Executive Producer David Corvo and Executive Producer Liz Cole.  

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MEGYN KELLY: And when you watched them take her, do you remember how that felt? 

J.D. VANCE: Honestly, I just felt relieved. In that moment I just felt relieved … and I thought to myself, ‘All right, I’m going to live another day.’ That’s how terrified I was. I mean, I  just wanted that situation to end and then I just broke down, right? I was just remember I was just really sad and felt very lonely. Because I’m sitting in the back of this police cruiser, they’ve just arrested my mom, the relief of having survived another day was gone. And then I just wanted somebody to come and take me away, and that was actually Lindsay. That, you know, that was who…sorry. 

MEGYN KELLY: Why does that particular moment bring tears? 

J.D. VANCE: It’s just such a crystal clear memory … and so it’s hard almost not to feel the same way that I felt as a 12-year-old kid sitting in the back of that police cruiser. But I also think that moment is kind of a microcosm of my entire life, is that there was this brief moment of terror and of feeling really lonely, and then there was Lindsay. 

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LINDSAY RATLIFF: I would die for that kid. And I know he would, too. 

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ABOUT SUNDAY NIGHT WITH MEGYN KELLY 

“Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly” is a primetime news magazine featuring the power of NBC News, airing Sundays at 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT. Sunday Night features sharp, strong journalism focused on in-depth investigations, newsmaker interviews and stories of adversity, accomplishment, inspiration and adventure. Anchor Megyn Kelly contributes stories and is joined by journalists from NBC News, including Josh Mankiewicz, Cynthia McFadden, Craig Melvin, Keith Morrison, Harry Smith, Kate Snow and Jacob Soboroff to report the stories of our time. Sunday Night is in a limited run for summer 2017 and will return in spring 2018. It is produced by the NBC News Primetime team, with Senior Executive Producer David Corvo and Executive Producer Liz Cole. 

Dominique Cuce
NBC News
212-664-6192
dominique.cuce@nbcuni.com