RFK’s widow Ethel Kennedy dead at 96 just days after the mom of 11 suffered a stroke as last link to Camelot era lost
ETHEL Kennedy, the widow of former New York Senator Robert F. Kennedy, has died at age 96.
Kennedy died on Thursday, a week after she suffered a stroke in her sleep, her grandson, Joe Kennedy III, announced on Thursday.
"It is with our hearts full of love that we announce the passing of our amazing grandmother, Ethel Kennedy," Kennedy III wrote.
"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."
The statement continued, "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.
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"Please keep her in your hearts and prayers."
KENNEDY MATRIARCH
Kennedy was a prominent human rights advocate, establishing the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights shortly after her husband's assassination in 1968.
The Kennedy matriarch was hospitalized on October 3 after suffering a stroke in her sleep, Joe announced in a statement on Tuesday.
"She is comfortable, she is getting the best care possible, and she is surrounded by family," he said at the time.
"She is, as you may know, a strong woman who has led a remarkably fulfilling life.
"We are here looking after her."
Kennedy's death comes decades after her husband, Robert F. Kennedy, was assassinated in on June 6, 1968, in the middle of his presidential campaign at age 42.
RFK, also known as Bobby Kennedy, addressed supporters at the Ambassador Hotel shortly after winning the and primaries.
After giving an impactful speech and thanking his supporters, RFK proceeded to exit the hotel through a kitchen passageway, only to be shot by a 24-year-old Palestinian, Sirhan Sirhan.
RFK was shot three times, including once in the back of the head. Five others were wounded, including his campaign labor chair.
The killing of RFK came five years after the assassination of his older brother, President John F. Kennedy, in Dallas on November 22, 1963.
Ethel Kennedy became a widow at age 40, having to care for her 11 children - their last child, Rory, born after RFK's assassination.
She began her college education at Manhattanville College, where she met and roomed with her eventual sister-in-law, Jean Kennedy.
Kennedy was formally introduced to Robert F. Kennedy during a ski weekend at Mont Tremblant in Quebec in December 1945.
There, she met RFK's brother and future US president, John F. Kennedy.
Patriarch Joe Kennedy, a Harvard graduate, was a leading member of the and served as chairman of the US Maritime Commission under Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration.
RFK was brought into the spotlight in the late 1950s as a razor-sharp Justice Department attorney who declared war on organized crime in the US.
As New York's senator, RFK was committed to assisting underprivileged children and students with disabilities, improving living conditions, and creating employment opportunities.
RFK was also dedicated to advancing human rights abroad, a goal Kennedy carried and continued to illustrate years after her husband's assassination in June 1968.
Kennedy remained devoted to the prominent family and never remarried, carrying her late husband's legacy to promote social justice and human rights.
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Most of Kennedy's children found success in politics, business, filmmaking, and environmental advocacy.
Her third eldest son, ., launched an unsuccessful bid for president in April 2023 before suspending his campaign in August and then backing Republican presidential candidate .