Kyle Kennedy, Granddaughter of Robert F. Kennedy, Dies at 42

Kyle Kennedy, granddaughter of Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy, and daughter of the late Michael Kennedy (who passed away in 1997) and Victoria Gifford Kennedy, died on September 21 at her home in Westwood, Massachusetts. According to an obituary published by Burke Funeral Homes, she passed away peacefully, and her cause of death was stated as still under review by the Westwood town clerk.

Born in Washington, D.C., on July 6, 1984, Kyle Kennedy spent a large portion of her childhood and youth in Cohasset, Massachusetts. After graduating from Georgetown University with a degree in history, she earned a master's degree in early childhood education from Pace University and a master's degree in education policy and management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Teaching in New York City public schools through the Teach for America program, Kennedy worked on educational reforms for disadvantaged children and later advocated for the rights of individuals with disabilities.

Married to Liam Kerr in Boston in August 2012 with whom she had three children, Kennedy completed the 2019 Boston Marathon in heavy rain twenty minutes faster than her father. Following a severe spinal cord injury a year later that left her facing long-term paralysis, disability, and various medical challenges, Kennedy advocated for individuals with disabilities by testifying at a Massachusetts State House hearing on discrimination in disability healthcare. Following a private funeral service, she was remembered by her mother, her former husband Liam, her children Conor and Declan, as well as her sibling and nieces and nephews.