Sarah Palin was impossible to ignore in 2008. Practically overnight, John McCain launched the little-known Alaska governor onto the national stage, introducing America to a woman with sharp elbows, quick confidence, and a folksy charm that made her a political phenomenon. But long before the headlines—and long after the campaign faded—Palin lived a life shaped by grit, family, heartbreak, and relentless resilience.
Born in Sandpoint, Idaho and raised in the rugged heart of Wasilla, Palin grew up with a competitive streak that flourished on the basketball court. She often called those years “life-changing,” and it was through sports that she met Todd Palin, the boy who would become her high-school sweetheart. In 1988, broke but determined, the two eloped at a courthouse—borrowing witnesses from the retirement home across the street.
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