The siblings were raised by their parents, F.J. Graham and Millie Graham, in Central, South Carolina. They lived in a one-room house behind their parents’ Sanitary Café, a restaurant, bar, pool room, and liquor store on Main Street.
F.J. and Millie died within 15 months of each other while Lindsey was studying at the University of Southern California. Lindsey soon became Darline’s legal guardian, which enabled her to receive military benefits when he joined the Air Force as a military lawyer.
“I can remember the day my father passed away, standing in that house absolutely scared to death,” she shared when her brother announced his presidential bid in 2016. “Lindsey wrapped his arms around me and promised me that he would always be there for me and always take care of me.”
Darline also told CNN’s Dana Bash at the time, “Even when my parents were alive, they worked really long, hard hours running a small business. So even then, he was a caregiver to me.”
When asked who would be his first lady, Lindsey said Darline “could play that role if necessary.”