Ethel Kennedy Celebrates Life With Unmatched Joy

WHO:

CBS News - Ethel Kennedy, Kerry Kennedy (daughter), Robert F. Kennedy (husband), John F. Kennedy (brother-in-law), Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (son), President Obama.

WHAT:

CBS News - Ethel Kennedy was married to Robert F. Kennedy in 1950.

CBS News - Ethel Kennedy had 11 children, with her first child born in 1951.

CBS News - Ethel Kennedy was pregnant for a total of 99 months, or more than eight years.

CBS News - Ethel Kennedy died on October 10, 2024, at the age of 96.

CBS News - Ethel Kennedy was honored with the Medal of Freedom by President Obama in 2014.

CBS News - Kerry Kennedy called her mother's life "a story of wonder and beauty and inspiration."

WHERE:

CBS News - Ethel Kennedy grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut.

CBS News - The family compound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts, was significant for the Kennedy family.

CBS News - Ethel Kennedy founded the Robert and Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center.

WHEN:

CBS News - Ethel Kennedy's marriage to Robert F. Kennedy occurred in 1950.

CBS News - Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated after winning the California Democratic primary when Kerry was eight years old.

CBS News - Ethel Kennedy's son Michael died in 1997, and another son, David, died in 1984.

WHY:

CBS News - Ethel Kennedy was a Democrat despite growing up in a Republican family.

CBS News - Kerry Kennedy stated that her mother prioritized love and family, even amidst disagreements with her son Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

HOW:

CBS News - Ethel Kennedy maintained positivity and resilience despite personal tragedies, including the assassinations of her husband and brother-in-law.

(UPDATED October 11, 2026 14:58 UTC)

Ethel Kennedy, who was married to Robert F. Kennedy in 1950 and had 11 children, passed away at the age of 96. She was honored with the Medal of Freedom by President Obama in 2014, and her daughter Kerry Kennedy described her life as "a story of wonder and beauty and inspiration." Ethel, who grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut, founded the Robert and Ethel Kennedy Human Rights Center and remained a symbol of resilience and positivity throughout her life, despite facing significant personal tragedies.