BOSTON — Ethel Kennedy, the widow of Robert F. Kennedy, has been admitted to a hospital following a stroke, according to her family.
On Tuesday evening, her daughter Kerry Kennedy shared a statement on X, revealing that the incident occurred on Thursday morning while she was asleep. She was subsequently taken to a hospital for treatment and is currently resting well. The family did not disclose the name of the hospital or specific details about where the stroke took place.
“She is comfortable, receiving exceptional care, and is surrounded by her loved ones,” read the statement. “Ethel is a resilient woman who has led a life filled with remarkable experiences, and we are taking good care of her.”
At 96, Ethel Kennedy is one of the last remaining figures from the Kennedy clan, which includes the late President John F. Kennedy.
Her family noted, “Ethel has enjoyed a wonderful summer and is making a smooth transition into fall. Each day has been filled with time spent with her children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces, and great-grandchildren. She appreciated outings on the water, visits to the pier, and many family meals, which have been a true blessing for all of us.”
For many Americans, the Kennedy family symbolizes a form of royalty the nation has often admired. The era of JFK is commonly referred to as “Camelot,” capturing the spirit of hope and optimism he and his wife, Jacqueline, inspired across the nation, reflected in the beautiful lines of a well-known Broadway musical.
Ethel was present with Robert F. Kennedy when he was tragically assassinated at Los Angeles’s Ambassador Hotel on June 5, 1968, shortly after his victory in the Democratic primary election in California. This came nearly five years after her brother-in-law, President John F. Kennedy, was killed in Dallas.
In 1968, Ethel established the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, a nonprofit dedicated to promoting human rights through legal advocacy, education, and inspiration. The organization recognizes various contributors to human rights issues with annual awards in honor of their efforts. In addition, Ethel has been heavily involved with the Coalition of Gun Control, Special Olympics, and the Earth Conservation Corps throughout her life.
Even in her 90s, she remained actively engaged in social issues, attending a demonstration in 2016 advocating for better wages for farmworkers in Florida and participating in a 2018 hunger strike opposing the immigration policies of the Trump administration. Ethel Kennedy splits her time between residences in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, and Palm Beach, Florida.
