December 29, 2006—Gerald R. Ford, 38th President of the United States, started life under very different circumstances—and even a different name.

Born in Omaha, Nebraska, as Leslie King, former President Ford—who died on December 26 at the age of 93—had a biological father so abusive that Ford's mother was forced to flee with him to Michigan. He later took the name of his stepfather—a name that has now been immortalized in the history books as the leader who helped heal the nation after the shock of Watergate.

In this exclusive 2003 interview with the National Geographic Channel's Tom Foreman, Ford details the story of his mother's desperate escape and recounts the drama of his sole meeting with his biological father.