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Cindy Lou Hensley McCain, 54, met John McCain in 1979 at a military reception in Hawaii. He divorced his wife Carol Shepp, a model, in early 1980 and married Cindy, 18 years his junior, a few months later. The couple signed a prenuptial agreement keeping their finances separate.

In 1982 Cindy helped John to campaign for his first bid for congress. Victorious, McCain spent the next four years in the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona’s 1st district. McCain was elected to the vacated Senate seat of Barry Goldwater in 1987. He is the Senior Senator from Arizona and has served 20 years without interruption.

Cindy McCain is a business woman and philanthropist. She has a BA in Education and an MA in Special Education. She is Chair of Hensley & Co. In 1989 she became addicted to pain killers following two spinal surgeries and entered rehab to deal with her problem. In 2004 she suffered a major stroke caused by high blood pressure. Through extensive rehabilitation she was able to restore full movement to her arm and leg but still suffers some short term memory loss and difficulties in writing.

The candidate’s wife, independently wealthy, owns 10 homes and a share in three office complexes. She is an amateur pilot and race car driver.

The couple have four children. Meghan, 23, appears in the September issue of Glamour magazine. She sat for an interview that will be titled 12 Things You Don’t Know About Meghan McCain. Jack, 22, is at the Naval Academy, studying International Relations. Jimmy, 20, enlisted in the Marine Corp. two years ago.

Cindy McCain brought Bridget, 17, to the United States for medical treatment at age three months after discovering her at Mother Teresa’s Bangladesh orphanage. They adopted her shortly after she arrived in the U.S. John McCain has two adopted sons from his first marriage, Douglas, 49, Andrew, 46, and a biological daughter Sidney, 42.

Family photo gallery below. Check out Cindy and John at Al Smith Dinner Roast on 10/16/08 – great pics.