Oh, she absolutely made the right decision. She hadn't had a relationship with her family in years, so in a sense they were strangers. Plus her mother was truly horrible. I'm surprised no one brought up "the five words" - "It should have been you."
I think whether to stay close or move away depends a lot on the circumstances. It might make sense to stick near one's birthplace if one's family is there and if there's a desire for children to know their relatives. It makes more sense to move, in my opinion, if the area only produces painful memories, and the only reason to stay is a misplaced sense of responsibility.