The illustrious Kennedy family has confirmed that Ethel Kennedy, widow of the assassinated Robert F. Kennedy –brother of the also assassinated former US President John F. Kennedy– has died this Thursday at the age of 96 after having been hospitalized days ago due to a stroke.
“Along with a life of work dedicated to 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 deeply,” said her grandson Joe Kennedy III on his official social media profile.
“She was a devout Catholic and daily communicant, and we take comfort in knowing that she has been reunited with the love of her life,” her grandson added, referring not only to her husband Robert – also known as ‘Bobby’ and who died more than 56 years ago – but also to her six children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who have also passed away.
Ethel married Robert F. Kennedy in 1950, who at that time was in charge of advising her brother John in his first steps in politics. Years later ‘Bobby’ served as Attorney General (1961-1964) and as a Senator (1965-1968) before presenting his candidacy for the presidency, at which time he was assassinated.
In the decades after her husband’s assassination, Ethel stood out as an environmental and human rights activist. She founded the non-profit organization Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights and traveled around the world defending democracy and social rights.
Former US President Barack Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014, the country’s highest civil honour. Obama himself offered his condolences to the family on Thursday after learning of the death of his “dear friend”, praising her “generosity and grace”.
The Kennedy family has been at the centre of a controversy in recent weeks after Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the eldest son of Ethel and ‘Bobby’, announced his presidential candidacy first as a Democrat, then as an independent and finally backing Republican Donald Trump.
Some members of the Kennedy clan came out to criticise Robert Jr.’s candidacy, even going so far as to describe it as “dangerous”. However, the late Ethel never spoke out about this family schism.
