How many children did Ethel Kennedy have? RFK Jr's mother passes away at 96 after suffering a stroke

Ethel Kennedy, the widow of American politician Robert F. Kennedy and the mother of 11 children, including the recent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., died at the age of 96. Her death, which occurred on Thursday, October 10, 2024, followed complications from a stroke she suffered the previous week.

Kerry Kennedy, one of her daughters, confirmed her death through a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter).

"She was a devout Catholic and a daily communicant, and we are comforted in knowing she is reunited with the love of her life, our father, Robert F. Kennedy; her children David and Michael; her daughter-in-law Mary; her grandchildren Maeve and Saoirse; and her great-grandchildren Gideon and Josie," Kerry wrote.

"Please keep our mother in your hearts and prayers," Kerry added.

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Ethel Kennedy's resilience: Overcoming a lifetime of personal tragedies

Ethel Kennedy, formerly named Ethel Skakel, was born on April 11, 1928. One of her sons, David Kennedy, died of a drug overdose in 1984 and the other Michael Kennedy died in a skiing accident in 1997.

Her husband, Robert F. Kennedy, was assassinated in 1968, five years after her brother-in-law, former US president John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

Apart from losing her husband and sons, Ethel was a survivor of other family tragedies. She lost her parents in a plane crash in 1955 and her nephew, John F. Kennedy Jr., in another plane crash in 1999. In 2019, her granddaughter Saoirse Kennedy Hill was found dead from an accidental drug overdose, while Maeve Kennedy Townsend McKean and her grandson Gideon McKean, died in a canoeing accident in 2020.

Despite these tragedies, Ethel maintained her faith, which she described as her strength in an interview with PEOPLE magazine in 2012.

"I pretty well lived in the moment. And I was blessed with faith," she said while reflecting on how she managed to survive the string of personal losses.

Ethel Kennedy was born into a wealthy family in Chicago, the sixth of seven children. Her father, George Skakel, founded the Great Lakes Carbon Corporation, allowing the family to live in luxury in Greenwich, Connecticut. Ethel grew up with a strong Catholic faith and attended the prestigious Convent of the Sacred Heart.

Ethel Kennedy met Robert Kennedy through his sister, Jean Kennedy, while attending Manhattanville College. The two married in 1950 and had 11 children together.

"We both wanted a lot of children, but there wasn't a huge discussion about it," she said in a 2012 interview with PEOPLE. "It wasn't a big deal. We were both from big families."

The couple raised their children at their sprawling home, Hickory Hill, in McLean, Virginia. Ethel Kennedy supported her husband throughout his political career, including his time as the US Attorney General and during his historic run for the presidency.

Ethel Kennedy was with Robert when he was shot and killed at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968, following his victory in the California Democratic primary. At the time, she was pregnant with their youngest daughter, Rory Kennedy.

After her husband's assassination, Ethel dedicated herself to continuing his legacy of public service. She founded the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, now known as Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, which is run by her daughter Kerry Kennedy.

Through this organization, Ethel championed various human rights causes and advocated for gun control. In 2014, former US president Barack Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom.