Photo: PL Gould/IMAGES/Getty Images
Ethel Kennedy, the widow of Robert F. Kennedy and the tenacious upholder of the family’s legacy, died on Thursday. She was 96.
Kennedy’s death was announced on social media via a statement shared by several members of her family, including her daughter Kerry and her grandson Joe. The statement said that Kennedy died due to complications from a stroke she suffered last week.
“She was a devout Catholic and a daily communicant, and 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 Josie,” the statement read.
It is with our hearts full of love that we announce the passing of our mother, Ethel Kennedy. Please keep our mother in your hearts and prayers. pic.twitter.com/bdIQFsC0CS
— Kerry Kennedy (@KerryKennedyRFK) October 10, 2024
Kennedy was the mother to 11 children, including former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Following her husband’s assassination in 1968, Kennedy devoted her life to maintaining his legacy. She founded the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, a nonprofit that works to hold governments accountable and foster a more peaceful world.
Ethel Kennedy maintained a residence at the famous Kennedy compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts. Most recently, her granddaughter, Mariah Kennedy Cuomo, was married on the property this past summer. “[Ethel] insisted we marry on her front lawn. We were thrilled to say yes,” Cuomo told Vogue.
Since Kennedy’s passing this morning, there has been an outpouring of support from family members and friends.
Ethel Kennedy was a dear friend with a passion for justice, an irrepressible spirit, and a great sense of humor. She touched the lives of countless people around the world with her generosity and grace, and was an emblem of enduring faith and hope, even in the face of… pic.twitter.com/lTukrEl9hI
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) October 10, 2024
My aunt, Ethel Kennedy passed this morning. What a life she led. What a huge family she created and leaves behind. I’m so glad I was able to laugh with her this summer, to share memories with her. She was a devoted sister-in-law to my mother, a one of a kind aunt to me and my… pic.twitter.com/u5ruoc4vye
— Maria Shriver (@mariashriver) October 10, 2024
My mother in law, Ethel Kennedy, Bobby’s mother, passed this morning. It has been my great honor to have shared laughter and love with Ethel. Her charisma, wisdom and strength will live on with me in every memory of her. Bobby and I spent many warm nights in Hyannis Port having… pic.twitter.com/j7faAcU1Bm
— Cheryl Hines (@CherylHines) October 10, 2024
