Massachusetts

Ethel Kennedy remembered for ‘remarkable legacy' after family shares she died

Those impacted by Kennedy's lifetime of service and strength through own personal tragedies are remembering her

By Mike Pescaro, Thea DiGiammerino and Asher Klein • •

NBC Universal, Inc.

Visitors to the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library paid tribute to Ethel Kennedy, who died after suffering a stroke last week.

Ethel Kennedy, who spent a lifetime in service and inspired generations of her family to do the same, has died at the age of 96.

Kennedy's legacy spans decades and overcame multiple personal tragedies. The widow to former U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, with whom she had 11 children, Kennedy devoted much of her life to a human rights organization she helped found in her husband's name.

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Those impacted by that legacy remembered her following the announcement of her passing on Thursday.

The widow to former U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, with whom she had 11 children, Ethel Kennedy devoted much of her life to a human rights organization she helped found in her husband's name. Follow NBC10 Boston: https://instagram.com/nbc10boston https://tiktok.com/@nbc10boston https://facebook.com/NBC10Boston https://twitter.com/NBC10Boston
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Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey released a statement on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Thursday.

"Deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Ethel Kennedy, who inspired us all with her resilience, compassion and faith. A passionate advocate for human rights, she leaves behind a remarkable legacy of public service. I’m keeping the Kennedy family in my thoughts during this difficult time," she wrote.

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Sen. Ed Markey released a statement as well:

I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Ethel Kennedy, a woman of true grace and grit, a dedicated matriarch, and a supportive friend. Ethel Kennedy’s generosity of spirit transcended politics, and her dedication to her family and her husband’s legacy were a driving force.

When Ethel started the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights in 1968, she ensured that her husband’s life’s work would continue. She transformed her personal tragedy into a lasting legacy of public service and global leadership. Her mission will forever be felt beyond the shores of her beautiful home in Hyannis to the far reaches of the world where her fight for human rights lives on.

A true force for social change in her own right, Ethel Kennedy worked to address society’s greatest injustices, fighting for equity, inclusion, compassion, and lasting change. The country has lost one of our greatest advocates for American exceptionalism, and the world has lost an irreplaceable champion of humanity. Ethel Kennedy was a woman whose vision was fueled by her boundless heart and goodwill, and she will be remembered forever. The entire Kennedy family is in my prayers.

NBC10 Boston Sue O'Connell explains the concept of "Camelot" - a word that was used to sum up the political vision of the Kennedys in the time JFK was president, and how Ethel Kennedy contributed to the myth.  Follow NBC10 Boston: https://instagram.com/nbc10boston https://tiktok.com/@nbc10boston https://facebook.com/NBC10Boston https://twitter.com/NBC10Boston

Maria Shriver, Kennedy's niece, a journalist and former First Lady of California, shared her own thoughts on her aunt's passing.

My aunt, Ethel Kennedy passed this morning. What a life she led. What a huge family she created and leaves behind. I’m so glad I was able to laugh with her this summer, to share memories with her. She was a devoted sister-in-law to my mother, a one of a kind aunt to me and my cousins. She was fearless, funny, smart, incredible athlete, patriot, madly in love with my Uncle Bobby, and devoted to making our country better in every way. She was a woman of deep faith. When it got tough, and there were a lot of tough times, she dug in. She relied on her faith like my own mother. They were a pair of strong, determined women. What lives, what examples. It’s impossible to put her life in a caption.

I love you, Ethel. Godspeed, and to all my cousins, I send my love to you on this day and on all days.

Countless others are sounding off, describing her as an icon who never wavered in her commitment to working for others, even when faced with her own hardships, and advising others to do the same.

"Ethel Kennedy led an exemplary American and Catholic life," Rudy W. Giuliani wrote on X. "The tragedies she endured would have crushed many. But her love for, and dedication to, her family, humanity and God leave us a prominent example of a truly heroic life."

Kennedy was hospitalized after suffering a stroke last week, her family said Tuesday. She and other family members have long resided on Cape Cod, at the Kennedy Compound in the Hyannis Port area of Barnstable, Massachusetts.

Ethel Kennedy, the widow of Robert F. Kennedy, has been hospitalized following a stroke, her children announced. Historians and political analyst Sue O'Connell share the unique place in U.S. and Massachusetts history she holds, as well as what her colorful, fun-loving reputation — did you know she was once arrested for stealing a malnourished horse?

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