Ethel Kennedy, the beloved matriarch of the Kennedy dynasty and widow of former United States Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, has died at the age of 96. The news comes after she suffered a stroke in her sleep last week and was rushed to the hospital. Ethel was one of the last living connections to the iconic “Camelot” era of President John F. Kennedy’s administration.
A figure of immense personal strength, Ethel was the third of Robert and Ethel Kennedy’s 11 children, including her son, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who ran an independent campaign for president in 2024 before endorsing Donald Trump in August. His campaign and controversial views on vaccines created a rift within the Kennedy family, but Ethel remained publicly neutral on her son’s actions, choosing to maintain her family’s legacy of unity.
Ethel Kennedy was just 40 years old when tragedy struck, leaving her widowed after her husband was assassinated on June 5, 1968, in the kitchen of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, shortly after he won the Democratic presidential primary in California. At the time, she was pregnant with their youngest child, a moment that encapsulated the heartbreak that would define much of her life.
The loss of Robert was just one of many tragedies for Ethel. Her brother-in-law, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in Dallas less than five years earlier. The family endured further heartache when her parents died in a plane crash in 1955, and her brother was killed in another crash in 1966. In subsequent years, her son David succumbed to a drug overdose, Michael died in a skiing accident, and her nephew, John F. Kennedy Jr., tragically lost his life in a plane crash.
After Robert’s assassination, Ethel chose not to remarry, dedicating her life to philanthropy and advocacy, particularly in the areas of gun control and human rights. She founded the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights and worked tirelessly for world peace, embodying her late husband’s ideals and vision for a better world.
Ethel spent her summers at the Kennedy family compound in Hyannis Port, Cape Cod, often preferring a life away from the public eye. Her death was announced by her grandson, former Rep. Joe Kennedy III, who now serves as the U.S. Special Envoy for Northern Ireland under President Joe Biden. In a heartfelt statement on X, he expressed: “It is with our hearts full of love that we announce the passing of our amazing grandmother, Ethel Kennedy.”
Joe Kennedy continued, “Along with a lifetime’s work in social justice and human rights, our mother leaves behind nine children, 34 grandchildren, and 24 great-grandchildren, all of whom love her dearly.” He noted her devout Catholic faith and the comfort that her family finds in knowing she is now reunited with her late husband, Robert, and other loved ones who passed before her.
Ethel’s connection to the Kennedy family began in 1945 when a 17-year-old Ethel became friends with Jean Kennedy at the Manhattanville College of the Sacred Heart. It was during this time that she was introduced to Jean’s brother, Robert, who would later become her husband.
In 2012, she reflected on her extraordinary life in a documentary directed by her youngest child, Rory, offering insights into the challenges and triumphs that defined her journey.
As the nation mourns the loss of Ethel Kennedy, her legacy of resilience, love, and unwavering commitment to justice will undoubtedly endure, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of many.
