Susan Gore was born May 15, 1954 in Chicago, Illinois into an upper middle class family. In her young years she was shown love by her mother’s parents, her father, but her mother, an only child felt that Susan was an ugly baby.  This sentiment was verbally expressed to a young Susan. It started the basis of a very low self-image that haunted Susan throughout her life.   This was the first small crack in Susan's foundation. Susan like many young ladies took piano lessons, dance lessons, had play dates, and a close knit family. 

      She had an older brother, perhaps the pride and joy of her mother.  But, being that there was a boy and girl in the family they both were raised with their wants and needs met. 

      Susan’s father although educated as a pharmacist, went into his wife’s family business, selling shoes.  The family owned multiple shoe stores located in the downtowns of suburban Chicago.  While Susan’s grandfather was living these stores did quite well. Susan’s parents travelled all over the world. They socialized with other rich and upper class families. Life could not be better.

      Unfortunately a series of events in Susan’s family life changed all of these story-book experiences.  Susan’s mother came down with rheumatic fever and afterwards had many physical ailments.  As a result her mother had difficulty sleeping, and suffered seizures.  The remedy was sleeping pills, good old fashioned barbiturates. Addicting, and hard to wake from.  Although Susan’s dad knew the issues with these drugs, there was much social drinking and the combination of pills and alcohol led to addiction. Susan was just a young teenager at this stage but with her mother’s addiction, Susan had to come home after school and care for her mom.  The effects of the drugs coupled with her mom’s selfishness, was terrible.  Susan was both verbally and physically abused. 

     She was a servant, rather than a daughter. There was one incident where Susan had to bring up a case of soda from her basement. The bottles were glass, and heavy, she lost her footing and feel down the stairs.  As a result her hands were cut and she had damage to her fingers.  Considering that her mother was an adult and stronger this wasn’t the task for a young girl.

      At the start of high school Susan's grandfather died.  This was the next crack in her sole.  To her grandfather was the beautiful, talented girl.  His death was not only painful but she lost one of the two people who gave her confidence.  Her grrandfather was also the key person running the company business.

       It wasn’t long before her father too became addicted to drugs and alcohol.  It was at this point in Susan’s life where she was starting to date and socialize and go out like a normal teenager.  She would come home on weekends at night to find her father sitting in the dark drinking.  He would greet her with kindness as well as slobbering French kisses and groping.  He’d comment about her small breasts as well.   Her self-image continued to deteriorate.