What we adore about Jennifer Garner is that she’s refreshingly open and candid about her family. While Jennifer’s rise to fame may seem like a fairytale, it wasn’t always easy for her mom when she was a kid. But through it all, the Garner family has remained strong and resilient. Read on to learn about all the challenges they had to face.

She shares how her mother overcame poverty and hardship on an Oklahoma farm.

© jennifer.garner / Instagram

Jennifer Garner recently shared an inspiring story about her mother’s journey out of poverty. Her mother grew up on a farm in Locust Grove, Oklahoma, and despite being really poor, she always carried herself with grace and dignity.

As Jennifer recalled, “She said, ’I’m never ashamed of growing up poor. Rather, I am amazed by the grace and dignity that my parents had throughout my childhood.’”

Her mother earned $1.00 a day.

Jennifer also recounted how her mother managed to save money: “My mother earned $1.00 a day for babysitting her neighbor’s 5 children.” With her hard-earned money, she would buy copies of Life magazine and dream of traveling to all the fascinating places she saw on the pages.

Her parents fulfilled their lifelong dream of traveling to all 50 states and all 7 continents, with a long-awaited trip to Antarctica.

© jennifer.garner / Instagram

Jennifer’s words revealed the incredible journey that her mother had to take to leave a life of poverty. She spoke of her struggle, which was hard to imagine, and shared how she managed to escape that life against all odds.

Garner recounted a conversation she had with her mother when she moved to New York after college. She recalled: “Jennifer, no matter what you do, it’ll never be as big of a deal as it was for me to leave that farm.’”

Jennifer is very grateful for the childhood she had.

© jennifer.garner / Instagram

Garner spoke fondly of her childhood in West Virginia, describing it as a “real childhood.” However, she acknowledged the challenges of growing up in a state that ranks low in education, upward mobility, and health. Despite these challenges, Garner emphasized the importance of community and the values instilled in her by the people around her.

She spoke of the pride she felt in being from a place where neighbors looked after each other and took care of themselves. “I have such a deep pride to be of and from that stock,” Garner explained.

Garner got emotional while wishing a happy birthday to her dad.

© jennifer.garner / Instagram

She also spoke of her father’s early years and how he became the man of the house at the young age of 11, taking care of his family and working multiple jobs. Despite the challenges, Jennifer’s father persevered with the help of kind men from their church who supported him in his endeavors.

© jennifer.garner / Instagram

These same men helped him become an Aggie, a source of immense pride for him. Jennifer spoke highly of her mother, but also expressed how proud she and her sisters are to be daddy’s girls. Their father was the ultimate problem solver, a world-class hugger, and the best granddad out there.

Jennifer’s message was full of love and admiration for her father, whom she and her sisters celebrate every day. The message was touching and showed the depth of the relationship between a daughter and her father.

In these messages, Garner expressed deep emotions and curiosity as she shared personal stories and reflections on her life experiences. Her heartfelt words showed the strength of family bonds, the power of community, and the resilience of the human spirit in overcoming challenges.