Ethel Kennedy, a prominent human rights advocate and the widow of Democratic icon Robert F. Kennedy, passed away Thursday morning due to complications from a stroke she suffered earlier in the week. She was 96.
Kerry Kennedy, one of Ethel’s nine children, confirmed her mother’s death in a heartfelt statement shared on X, formerly known as Twitter. “It is with heavy hearts full of love that we announce the passing of our mother, Ethel Kennedy,” she wrote. “Along with a lifetime’s work in social justice and human rights, our mother leaves behind nine children, 34 grandchildren, and 24 great-grandchildren.”
Ethel Shakel Kennedy entered the Kennedy family when she married Robert F. Kennedy in 1950. Robert, who would later serve as U.S. Attorney General under his brother, former President John F. Kennedy, went on to become a U.S. senator representing New York. Together, Ethel and Robert had 11 children.
Ethel Kennedy faced profound tragedies throughout her life. She endured the assassination of her brother-in-law, John F. Kennedy, in 1963, followed by the murder of her husband, Robert, on June 6, 1968. Robert was shot by a gunman in Los Angeles shortly after delivering a victory speech upon winning the California primary in his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.
In a 2014 interview with NBC, Ethel Kennedy reflected on her inspirations, stating, “First, Bobby and his life, and, of course, Jack.” However, the losses did not end there. Ethel’s parents died in a plane crash in 1955, and she lost a brother in another plane accident in 1966. Additionally, tragedy struck her family multiple times: her son David died from a drug overdose in 1984, her son Michael was killed in a skiing accident in 1997, and her granddaughter, Saoirse, tragically died of an accidental drug overdose at the age of 22 in 2019 at the Kennedy family compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts.
In a statement released by the family, they expressed comfort in knowing that Ethel was reunited with loved ones. “She was a devout Catholic and a daily communicant,” the statement read. “We are comforted in knowing she is reunited with the love of her life, our father, Robert F. Kennedy; her children, David and Michael; her daughter-in-law Mary; her grandchildren Maeve and Saoirse; and her great-grandchildren, Gideon and Joseph.”
Ethel and Robert F. Kennedy are remembered as dedicated parents, as evidenced by a photograph of the couple with their children taken in McLean, Virginia, in 1961. This year, divisions within the Kennedy family garnered media attention when Robert F. Kennedy Jr., one of Ethel’s children, ran as an independent candidate for president. His campaign ended in August when he announced his support for Republican nominee Donald Trump, a move that was met with public opposition from many family members, including Kerry Kennedy.
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Despite the challenges within her family, Ethel Kennedy was deeply committed to social causes. She played a crucial role in the founding of the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Center in Washington, D.C. Her advocacy extended to a range of charitable initiatives, including raising funds for ALS research, combating poverty, and promoting social justice and environmental efforts.
Ethel Kennedy’s contributions included significant environmental projects, such as leading efforts to clean up Washington’s Anacostia River and restore New York’s Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. In honor of her dedication, a bridge spanning the Anacostia River is named the Ethel Kennedy Bridge.