Ethel Kennedy, the 96-year-old widow of Robert F. Kennedy Sr., was hospitalized last week after suffering a stroke, her relatives announced Tuesday.
The Kennedy matriarch and mother of ex-presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. suffered the medical emergency in her sleep on Thursday.
“She was brought to an area hospital, where is now receiving treatment,” her daughter, Rory Kennedy, said in a statement posted to X.
“She is comfortable, she is getting the best care possible, and she is surrounded by family,” Rory said of her mother.
“Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers,” read the statement also shared by other Kennedy relatives.
Ethel, the oldest living member of the Kennedy clan, had 11 children with Robert, a US senator representing New York who was assassinated in June 1968 during a run for president.
She gave birth to their youngest, Rory, after his murder and soon founded the nonprofit charity “Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights” in his memory.
In addition to raising her children on her own, Ethel committed much of her life to public service, focusing on causes like the Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Project in Brooklyn.
She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014 by President Barack Obama for her public service efforts.
“She is, as you may know, a strong woman who has led a remarkably fulfilling life,” the Kennedy family said of the matriarch in their statement. “We are here looking after her.”
They also noted that she had a great summer, spending every day with her children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren at the Kennedy Compound in Massachusetts, where she resides.
“She was able to get out on the water, visit the pier, and enjoy many lunches and dinners with family,” the statement said. “It has been a gift to all of us and to her as well.”
Several of Ethel and Robert Sr’s children and grandchildren went into government serving in Congress or state office. Most recently, their scandal-ridden son, RFK Jr., was running in the 2024 election as an Independent before dropping out to endorse Republican Donald Trump.
The Kennedy family has asked for privacy as Ethel remains in the hospital.
