He said his grandfather's incarceration by the Germans had a profound effect on his mother; that because it was a painful memory, it was almost never discussed. "Some may find it odd that I have not probed deeply into the details of my family history, but it's a fact," Allen said in his statement. Speaking with The Times-Dispatch, Allen said the disclosure is "just an interesting nuance to my background." He added, "I still had a ham sandwich for lunch. And my mother made great pork chops."