What do you really know of the Kennedy family and the tragedies they’ve faced?
Plane crashes?
Assassinations?
Mental health?
Deaths at war?
Is the “Kennedy Curse” real?
Keep watching to find out more.
Perhaps the first known tragedy of the Kennedy family took place all the way back in 1941.
Obviously, things were different then, and so when Rosemary Kennedy's family noticed
that she was having what were described as "intellectual disabilities," they sought a
solution.
According to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, she was becoming very
irritable and difficult at age 22, so her family decided to have her operated on via
lobotomy.
The operation was meant to calm Rosemary and help her, but it was a failed attempt.
While Rosemary didn't die immediately following the surgery, it did render her unable to care
for herself, and she was resigned to live in a home where others could care for her.
In fact, Rosemary lived at the St. Coletta's School for Exceptional Children for the rest
of her life, until she died in 2005, when she was 86 years old.
While Rosemary didn't die as young as many other members of the Kennedy family did, her
life was completely changed for the worse when she underwent that experimental surgery.
When it comes to the Kennedy family, there's really no denying the fact that they're all
high achievers.
And with Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. — the eldest son of Joseph and Rose Kennedy, and John F.
Kennedy's older brother — that was certainly the case.
He graduated from Harvard University in 1938, and was well on his way to graduating from
Harvard Law School before volunteering for the Navy
in 1941.
But, unfortunately, entering into the Navy would be the thing that took Joseph's life.
During World War II, Joseph was a navy pilot, and in August 1944, he was killed.
The tragedy occurred during a bombing mission near the coast of Normandy, France, when explosives
in his aircraft reportedly went off prematurely, per History.com.
When he died, he was only 29 years old.
To say that Kathleen Kennedy's life was eventful would be an understatement.
The sister of John F. Kennedy and the Kennedy family member with the cutest nickname, Kick
experienced quite a lot in her short life.
According to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Kathleen was a debutante,
a Red Cross volunteer, and even a research assistant for the Times-Herald newspaper.
Additionally, Kathleen even married William "Billy" Cavendish, the Marquess of Hartington
in May 1944, making her quite literally a lady — Lady Hartington, to be exact.
Unfortunately, she experienced tragedy when her husband died in combat in September 1944,
the same year they married, making her a widow at only 24 years old.
But that's not where the tragedy ends with Lady Hartington.
Sadly, she died on May 13, 1948, in a small plane crash in France, along with three others.
Just four years after her brother Joseph P. Kennedy died, so too did Kick at 28 years
old.
In one of the most notable moments in American political history, President John F. Kennedy
was assassinated in 1963.
When Walter Cronkite delivered the news to the nation, the famed newscaster began to
tear up.
“President Kennedy died at 1PM, central standard time.”
On November 22, 1963, President Kennedy was shot while being driven through Dallas, Texas,
as part of his campaign for reelection, and was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
His assailant, Lee Harvey Oswald, was also shot and killed after being arrested.
While conspiracies have reigned supreme since Kennedy's assassination, investigative journalist
Gerald Posner told "Frontline" that Oswald simply hated the United States.
Posner said,
"He despised America.
He despised capitalism.
When he eventually had the opportunity to strike against Kennedy, it was that symbol
of the system that he was going after."
Despite the chaotic political challenges the assassination would introduce, the tragedy
that Jacqueline Kennedy had to deal with was heartbreaking, and was just one in a long
line of family misfortune.
As if the Kennedy family hadn't struggled enough following the assassination of President
John F. Kennedy, Edward M. Kennedy, also known as Ted, was in a deadly plane crash in 1964
but somehow managed to survive.
According to ABC News, in June 1964, when Ted was 32 years old, he was in a small plane
crash while campaigning for his Senate seat in Massachusetts.
The crash killed two and landed Ted Kennedy in the hospital for five long months.
During those five long months, he focused on the kind of senator he wanted to be, saying
in a 1965 interview with Good Housekeeping,
"I tried to put my hours to good use.
I had a lot of time to think about what was important and what was not and about what
I wanted to do with my life.
I think I gained something from those six months that will be valuable the rest of my
life."
The assassination of President John F. Kennedy is obviously well known in United States history.
However, many people might be surprised to learn that his brother, Robert F. Kennedy
— known as Bobby Kennedy — was also assassinated just five years after the president, in 1968.
Robert was shot at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, after giving a victory speech
for winning the California presidential primary, according to History.com.
Sirhan Sirhan was the man convicted of shooting Robert, and he was quickly tackled and arrested
for the crime, which he confessed to during his trial.
To say that Robert Kennedy's death was the most shocking thing to happen in 1968 would
be a lie, though.
Just two months earlier, Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, and the nation was still
grieving, as noted by CNN.
So for Robert to then be killed, when the nation was so hopeful that his presidency
could turn things around, wasn't easy for many Americans.
Perhaps one of the most infamous tragedies surrounding the Kennedy family only goes by
one name: Chappaquiddick.
The island off of Martha's Vineyard was where Ted Kennedy crashed his car in July 1969,
the vehicle careening over a bridge and landing upside down in a pond, according to History.com.
The crash left one female passenger — Mary Jo Kopechne, one of Robert Kennedy's campaign
workers — dead, but that wasn't where the scandal or tragedy ended.
Instead, the focus then shifted onto Ted's behavior after the crash.
Instead of immediately calling police or rescue workers to try and find Kopechne or her body,
Ted, who claimed he dove into the water to look for Kopechne and sought additional help
from his cousin and aide, ultimately returned to his hotel where he went to sleep, only
to report the accident the next morning.
Obviously, that didn't sit well with people, and History.com even went so far as to claim
it was the reason Ted would never become president.
“I pray that I may have the courage to make the right decision.”
Another horrible Kennedy family accident took place in 1999, when a plane crash claimed
the lives of John F. Kennedy, Jr.; his wife, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy; and her sister,
Lauren Bessette.
On July 16, 1999, John — or John-John, as he was lovingly known — was piloting a single-engine
plane just off the coast of Martha's Vineyard when it began to rapidly plummet and eventually
crashed into the Atlantic Ocean, per History.com.
It wasn't until July 21 that the remains of all of those on board were found, and it was
declared that John simply had become confused flying in the dark when the plane crashed.
As those familiar with the Kennedy curse know, multiple members of the famous family have
been taken from the world at too young an age.
In 2011, Kara Kennedy, the oldest daughter of Ted Kennedy, died from a heart attack at
the age of 51.
Kara's brother, Patrick Kennedy, told publications at the time simply,
"Her heart gave out [...] She's with dad."
Kara had previously undergone surgery for lung cancer in 2003, after receiving the jarring
diagnosis the year before, and the procedure had been successful.
Kara, who'd also had chemotherapy treatments, appeared to be healthy ever since.
Her mother, Joan Kennedy, even said as much, telling Politico,
"She was very healthy.
That's why this is such a shock."
Kara's passing was obviously difficult for the Kennedy family to work through, as it
was so unexpected, and it had truly seemed like the so-called Kennedy family curse had
been lifted before her death.
Unfortunately, tragedy continued to occur in the famous family, and it didn't end with
Kara.
In 2019, Saoirse Kennedy Hill, one of Robert F. Kennedy's granddaughters, sadly died at
the family's Cape Cod home at the young age of 22.
According to USA Today, a toxicology report confirmed that Saoirse had consumed a combination
of methadone, ethanol, and several prescription drugs, which resulted in an accidental overdose.
Though Saoirse's death was ruled an accident, an essay she wrote for her school's newspaper
in 2016 revealed that the young student had long suffered from depression.
She wrote,
"My depression took root in the beginning of my middle school years and will be with
me for the rest of my life.
Although I was mostly a happy child, I suffered bouts of deep sadness that felt like a heavy
boulder on my chest."
Saoirse's death was an especially bitter tragedy for the Kennedy family, who shared a statement
after her passing, saying,
"She lit up our lives with her love, her peals of laughter and her generous spirit."
Clearly, Saoirse's life was meaningful, and her death caused a lot of grieving.
In 2020, Robert F. Kennedy's granddaughter, Maeve Kennedy Townsend McKean, and her son
Gideon drowned in a terrible canoeing accident, as reported by USA Today.
In April 2020, Gideon and Maeve took a canoe out on Chesapeake Bay, and, after the waters
turned dangerous, they never returned.
Maeve and Gideon were young — at 40 and 8, respectively.
In a statement, Maeve's mother, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy, expressed
her heartbreak.
Via The Washington Post, she shared,
"My heart is crushed, yet we shall try to summon the grace of God and what strength
we have to honor the hope, energy and passion that Maeve and Gideon set forth into the world."
When he was only 12 years old, Edward M. Kennedy Jr., the son of Edward M. Kennedy, had his
leg amputated above his knee in an attempt to eradicate bone cancer.
The news was reported by The New York Times in 1973, which stated that the young Kennedy
was scheduled to have the surgery after tests at Georgetown Hospital discovered a cancerous
growth.
A follow-up article noted that the surgery proved to be successful and that Kennedy Jr.
was making a successful recovery.
In 1985, a Los Angeles Times article proclaimed Kennedy Jr. to be an example for disabled
individuals.
The paper stated that Kennedy's brush with the alleged family curse hadn't darkened his
outlook on life.
Instead, it allowed him the opportunity to show that surgery hadn't stopped him from
participating in sports or joining his father in political opportunities.
The write-up added that Kennedy Jr. had recently been fitted with a prosthesis.
The then 23-year-old happily stated,
"I'm using muscles I haven't used in 10 years.
[...] This is a revolutionary idea.
The fact is, life doesn't end after you have cancer.
[...] It's easier to overcome if you can see other people who have overcome their challenge."
“I’m obviously motivated to be effective.
I’m motivated to work hard.
I know I have a lot to live up to.”
Kennedy Jr. went on to pursue a successful political career.
He served as a Connecticut State Senator for the 12th District of Connecticut and is a
healthcare lawyer, an entrepreneur, and a lifelong advocate for people with disabilities.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction issues, help is available.
Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact
SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).