Ethel Kennedy dies after suffering stroke

Ethel Kennedy, the wife of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy (D-N.Y.), died Thursday at age 96 due to complications from a stroke, her family announced Thursday.

“It is with our hearts full of love that we announce the passing of our amazing grandmother, Ethel Kennedy,” former Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-Mass.) wrote of his grandmother in a post on social platform X. “She died this morning from complications related to a stroke suffered last week.”

“Along with a lifetime’s work in social justice and human rights, our mother leaves behind nine children, 34 grandchildren, and 24 great-grandchildren, along with numerous nieces and nephews, all of whom love her dearly,” wrote Joe Kennedy, who currently serves as the U.S. special envoy to Northern Ireland.

She is survived by nine children.

Ethel Kennedy, sister-in-law to former President Kennedy and the matriarch of America’s treasured family, suffered a stroke Oct. 3 and was rushed to the hospital. At the time, her grandson said she was “comfortable.”

She became a widow in June 1968 when her husband, Robert, was assassinated after winning the California presidential primary. Ethel never remarried and took on the task of raising the couple’s 11 children alone while founding the nonprofit Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights.

Despite trials, Ethel remained politically involved, supporting her children throughout their public service endeavors.

Her daughter Kathleen was elected as lieutenant governor of Maryland in 1995; Ethel’s son Joseph was elected as a House representative for Massachusetts’s 8th Congressional District in 1987. Her grandson also served as a representative for the Bay State from 2013 to 2021.

More recently, her son Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launched a presidential bid as an independent candidate. He has since suspended much of his campaign, primarily in the swing states, and backed former President Trump.

Ethel also supported former President Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign and eventually earned the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom during his second term in office.

“She’s an emblem of enduring faith and enduring hope even in the face of unimaginable loss and unimaginable grief,” Obama said during the White House ceremony. “And she has touched the lives of countless people around the world with her generosity and grace.”

President Biden called Kennedy “an American icon—a matriarch of optimism and moral courage, an emblem of resilience and service.”

“Devoted to family and country, she had a spine of steel and a heart of gold that inspired millions of Americans, including me and Jill. We were blessed to call her a dear friend,” Biden said in a statement. “Growing up in an Irish-Catholic family, I often looked to the Kennedy family for proof of America’s promise.” 

Biden later referenced her support during the loss of his first wife. 

“…when I lost my own wife and infant daughter, Ethel was always there for me and my sons. She helped us find strength and perseverance. She taught us how to channel grief into the service of a greater good,” Biden said.

Updated: 3:09 p.m.