Vanished Without a Trace

E.A. Hanks, daughter of iconic actor Tom Hanks, has opened up about a harrowing moment from her childhood — one that saw her father scrambling to find her after she seemingly vanished.

The revelation comes ahead of the release of her deeply personal memoir, The 10: A Memoir of Family And The Open Road, in which she reflects on her upbringing, her complex relationship with her mother, and a cross-country journey to reconnect with her roots.

Born Elizabeth Anne Hanks, E.A. is the daughter of Tom Hanks and his first wife, Susan Dillingham. Her older brother is actor Colin Hanks. Following her parents’ divorce in 1987, Dillingham retained primary custody — but at one point, made a spontaneous and unauthorized move with her children from Sacramento to Los Angeles.

“My dad came to pick us up from school and we’re not there,” E.A. recalled. “And it turns out we haven't been there for two weeks and he has to track us down.”

This moment, a vivid turning point in her early life, serves as a backdrop to broader reflections in her book about growing up with a mother E.A. believes was likely undiagnosed bipolar—a woman prone to severe mood swings, paranoia, and delusions. Over time, neglect took root, prompting a shift in custody.

In stark, unflinching detail, E.A. recounts scenes of her childhood home: a backyard so littered it was impassable, a refrigerator either empty or filled with rotting food, and a mother who withdrew into her bed and her Bible.

Eventually, a violent incident forced E.A. to leave and relocate to Los Angeles midway through seventh grade — a formative escape that would shape her journey both physically and emotionally.

Now a writer in her own right, E.A. uses her memoir to explore not only the legacy of her famous father but also the mystery and pain surrounding her mother, who died of lung cancer in 2002. Her six-month road trip from California to Florida — chronicled in The 10 — was an attempt to fill in the blanks, to understand the woman who raised her and the chaos that defined those years.

Set for release on April 8, The 10 promises to be a raw and resonant portrait of family, memory, and the search for meaning in the shadow of fame.