Ankita
The beloved widow of Robert F. Kennedy and the matriarch of one of the most well-known political dynasties in American history, Ethel Kennedy, has away at the age of 96. Her family revealed her death on October 10, 2024, from complications from a stroke she suffered one week before. Ethel was a well-known advocate for social justice and human rights, and her legacy will serve as inspiration for future generations.
A Life of Advocacy and Resilience
She was raised in an affluent family and met Robert F. Kennedy when he was courting her sister. Born Ethel Skakel in Chicago in 1928. Together, they had eleven children after being married in 1950. Throughout his political career, which included his victorious Senate race and his time as U.S. Attorney General, Ethel supported her husband. Unfortunately, she was there when he was killed in June 1968 while running for president. In an effort to uphold her husband’s memory and promote social justice, Ethel formed the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization a few months after becoming pregnant with their youngest child, Rory.
Ethel Kennedy was a lifelong supporter of a number of topics, including environmental and civil rights concerns. Alongside leaders like Cesar Chavez, she took part in important movements and carried on her involvement well into old age. President Barack Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014 in honor of her lifetime commitment to human rights.
A Legacy of Family and Tragedy
There were great accomplishments and heartbreaking tragedies throughout Ethel’s life. She outlived two of her children: Michael, who sadly perished in a skiing accident in 1997, and David, who died in 1984 from a heroin overdose. She also had to deal with the tragic passing of numerous family members over the years, as well as the 2019 overdose death of her granddaughter Saoirse Kennedy Hill.
Ethel continued to be a source of support for her family in spite of these challenges. Following her passing, her grandson Joe Kennedy III paid moving homage to her, emphasizing her position as a devoted grandmother who taught her children and grandkids to be resilient and compassionate. Nine children, many grandchildren, and great-grandchildren survive Ethel, and they continue her legacy of justice and public service.
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