Ethel Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy’s Widow, Hospitalized After Stroke

Ethel Kennedy, the widow of Robert F. Kennedy, was hospitalized this week after experiencing a stroke, her family said.
In a Tuesday statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, Ethel Kennedy’s daughter Kerry Kennedy said, “I wanted to let you know about my incredible mother.”
“She has had a great summer and transition into fall. Every day she enjoyed time with her children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great-grandchildren,” the statement said. “Unfortunately, on Thursday morning she suffered a stroke in her sleep.”
Kerry Kennedy’s statement continued, “She was brought to an area hospital, where she is now receiving treatment. She is comfortable, she is getting the best care possible, and she is surrounded by family. She is, as you know, a strong woman who has led a remarkably fulfilling life. We are here looking after her. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. I ask that you respect our family’s privacy at this time.”
At 96, she is the last surviving member of the Kennedy family’s generation that included President John F. Kennedy. Her sister-in-law, former ambassador Jean Kennedy Smith, who passed away in 2020, was JFK’s last remaining sibling.
For many Americans, the Kennedy family symbolized a form of American royalty, admired much like the aristocracies of other nations. The era of President Kennedy was famously nicknamed “Camelot,” as the youthful leader and his stylish wife, Jacqueline Kennedy, inspired a wave of national optimism, echoing a line from the popular Broadway musical.
Ethel Kennedy was at Robert F. Kennedy’s side when he was fatally shot in the kitchen of Los Angeles’ Ambassador Hotel on June 5, 1968, moments after securing victory in California’s Democratic presidential primary. It was a devastating echo of tragedy for the family, coming less than five years after the assassination of her brother-in-law, President John F. Kennedy, in Dallas.
In 1968, she founded the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, an organization committed to promoting human rights through litigation, advocacy and education. The nonprofit also honors journalists, authors and others with annual awards for significant contributions to human rights. Beyond this work, Kennedy has been actively involved in the Coalition of Gun Control, Special Olympics and the Earth Conservation Corps.
Even into her 90s, Ethel Kennedy has stayed socially active, joining a 2016 protest advocating for higher wages for farmworkers in Florida and a 2018 hunger strike opposing the Trump administration’s immigration policies. She reportedly splits her time between homes in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, and Palm Beach, Florida.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.