Ethel Kennedy, Robert F Kennedy’s widow and human rights advocate's cause of death revealed

CAPE COD, MASSACHUSETTS: Ethel Kennedy, the widow of former Attorney General and New York Senator Robert F Kennedy, has died at the age of 96.

Known as a political powerhouse in her own right, Ethel was the sister-in-law of former President John F Kennedy.

How did Ethel Kennedy die?

Ethel Kennedy's daughter, Kerry Kennedy, confirmed the news of her death on social media on Thursday, October 10.

"She died this morning from complications related to a stroke suffered last week," read Kerry's post.

The Kennedy family disclosed that Ethel Kennedy suffered a stroke in her sleep on October 3, 2024, while at her home in Cape Cod.

She was rushed to the hospital, accompanied by her grandson, former Congressman Joe Kennedy III.

Ethel Kennedy's early life and marriage to Robert F Kennedy

Born on April 11, 1928, in Chicago, Illinois, Ethel Skakel was the daughter of coal magnate George Skakel, co-founder of the Great Lakes Carbon Corporation.

She first met Robert F Kennedy, the third eldest son of Joseph and Rose Kennedy, during a family skiing trip in Canada in 1945, through her college roommate, Jean Kennedy.

Although RFK was dating Ethel’s sister Patricia at the time, he later began dating Ethel, and after five years, the couple became engaged, according to Daily Mail.

They tied the knot on June 17, 1950, in Greenwich, Connecticut, and eventually moved to Washington DC as he followed in RFK brother John F Kennedy’s footsteps into politics.

Ethel Kennedy's active role in the Kennedy political dynasty

Ethel Kennedy actively participated in JFK’s successful 1960 presidential campaign and supported her husband in his 1964 Senate run.

She was also a key advocate for RFK’s 1968 presidential bid, despite being more than three months pregnant at the time.

Tragically, Robert F Kennedy was fatally shot on June 5, 1968, while celebrating his victory in the California primary.

Ethel was not at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles that night but rushed to his side at the hospital where RFK died from his injuries the following day.

In the wake of her husband's death, she became a prominent advocate for justice and human rights, founding the Robert F Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights just months after the tragedy.

Her efforts in the field earned her widespread admiration, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, awarded by President Barack Obama in 2014.

How many children did Ethel and Robert F Kennedy have?

Ethel and RFK raised 11 children together. Her sons David and Michael died in 1984 and 1997 respectively.

Her surviving children include former presidential candidate Robert F Kennedy Jr, Kathleen Hartington Kennedy Townsend, Joseph Patrick Kennedy II, Courtney Kennedy Hill, Mary Kerry Kennedy, Christopher George Kennedy, Matthew Maxwell Taylor Kennedy, Douglas Harriman Kennedy, and Emmy-winning filmmaker Rory Kennedy.