Kyle Kennedy, Activist and Educator, Dies at 42
Kyle Kennedy, granddaughter of Bobby and Ethel Kennedy, passed away at 42 after a long battle with paralysis from a spinal cord injury.
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Kyle Kennedy, granddaughter of Bobby and Ethel Kennedy, passed away at her home in Westwood, Massachusetts, on September 21 at the age of 42. The educator and activist died in her home, as shared in a touching obituary online.
🕊️ Robert F. Kennedy’s granddaughter Kyle Kennedy has died at 42. What we know: https://t.co/QOVdthArcA https://t.co/8klrtWfMHV
Kennedy was born on July 6, 1984, in Washington, D.C., to parents Michael and Victoria Denise Gifford. Her obituary described her as being dedicated to early childhood education, working on educational reform for disadvantaged children and people with disabilities.
She married Liam Kerr in 2012, and they welcomed three children. Their daughter, Josie, tragically died shortly after birth. Two years later, they welcomed their son, Declan. Kennedy’s obituary refers to Kerr as her “former husband.”
Kyle Kennedy, RFK’s granddaughter, dies at 42 – years after suffering tragic injury https://t.co/Vw8z64vwZl https://t.co/0EFYDC5w8z
“Kyle was naturally fast and competitive,” her obituary read. It went on to describe her childhood, “Throughout her life she could frequently be seen outrunning her peers on playgrounds, soccer pitches, and lacrosse fields, while in quieter moments tenaciously pursuing all out victory in trivial pursuit or card games.”
As an adult, she developed a passion for long-distance running and in 2019 completed the Boston Marathon in a driving rainstorm, beating her own father’s time by twenty minutes.
Robert F Kennedy’s granddaughter Kyle dies at New England home aged just 42 https://t.co/1hcGydCqZp https://t.co/VxKFC5lxM5
Kennedy suffered long-term paralysis after she sustained a severe spinal cord injury in 2020. She became dedicated to advocating for those living with disabilities.
“The years that followed brought struggles but Kyle fought to maintain her dry wit and determination through it all, trying to be the best possible mother to her sons and caring for her two beloved, ill-behaved Wheaten terriers,” her obituary read. (RELATED: ‘Office Space’ Actor Richard Riehle Dead At 78)
Kennedy is survived by her sons, Conor (12) and Declan (10); her former husband, Liam; her mother, Victoria; her brother Michael and his wife Mary and their children; and her sister Rory and her husband David and their children.
Source: Daily Caller
