How Kamala Harris's ‘protective instincts’ saved the life of a friend seeking shelter from abuse
Kamala Harris's childhood friend, Wanda Kagan, reveals how Harris's support during her abusive home life shaped her career path.
Kamala Harris once had a high school best friend, Wanda Kagan, with whom she lost touch but later reconnected after becoming an attorney. Kagan might have played a big role in inspiring the VP to pursue a career in law. Reflecting on her past, the childhood friend shared that she faced physical and sexual abuse at home and found immediate support from Harris.
She recalled how, without hesitation, Harris invited her to move in with her family, with the full backing of her mother, Shyamala Gopalan. This offer of refuge during their senior year provided the safety and comfort she desperately needed, and she fondly remembers her friend’s “natural protective instincts” and incredible empathy during that difficult time.
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Friend escaping abuse recalls how Kamala Harris ‘changed her life’
As Kamala Harris and Donald Trump find themselves in a fierce competition for the presidency, a friend has opened up about their teenage years at Montreal’s Westmount High School. Wanda Kagan told PEOPLE, that even then, Harris sensed something was amiss. Encouraging her to share, Kagan finally confided in her about the physical abuse she endured at the hands of her stepfather. “It was difficult to open up,” Kagan said. “Kamala immediately offered her support, saying, ‘You’re just going to have to come and stay with us.’”
Kagan recalls how, during their senior year of high school in 1981, Harris and her mother graciously opened their home to her. Initially hesitant, Kagan wondered if Harris’s mother would approve, but Kamala reassured her and called Shyamala Gopalan. “Her mom agreed right away, saying, ‘Yes, she can come home,’” Kagan remembered. That very day, she left school and found refuge with the Harris family, where she finally felt a sense of safety and comfort.
Kamala Harris has ‘naturally protective instincts’
During her time living with Kamala Harris, Wanda Kagan found the support she truly needed, especially as her home life and abuse got ‘worse’ every day. She fondly remembers Harris’s instinctive kindness, like how she would show up every day with lunch showcasing her “natural protective instincts” and deep empathy.
After Harris left for Howard University, they didn't see each other for a bit. By 2005, Kagan, who had started a family and had a great career in healthcare, got a call from a friend who was super excited to tell her that Harris was going to be on The Oprah Winfrey Show as San Francisco’s District Attorney.
Kagan was shocked and quickly dug up the contact details for Harris’s office, leaving a message that felt like a long shot. Moments later, her daughter came running to her with news that “the friend from Oprah” was on the phone.
Kamala is a ‘fighter’
“[Kamala’s] always been this fighter who stands up for what she believes in,” Kagan recalled Harris telling her that she pursued a career in law “because of what I went through with you; with helping you and advocating for you.”
Kagan shared that hearing those words took her back to their shared experiences, reminding her of the time when Harris was a source of strength and support. “It wasn't just like I'm picturing her as a lawyer running, setting up these different units and protective for kids and women and children of sexual abuse. But it really brought me back to that time."