Kyle Kennedy, Granddaughter of Robert F. Kennedy, Dies at 42
Kennedy succumbed to complications from a severe spinal cord injury suffered six years prior.
Kyle Kennedy, a granddaughter of the late U.S. Sen. Robert F. “Bobby” Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy, died on September 21 at her home in Westwood, Massachusetts. She was 42 years old.
Her death comes six years after she sustained a severe spinal cord injury that resulted in long-term paralysis. Kennedy had become an advocate for individuals living with disabilities in her later years.
Born on July 6, 1984, in Washington, D.C., Kennedy was the daughter of Michael Kennedy and Victoria Denise Gifford. Her father, Michael Kennedy, died in a skiing accident in 1997. Kennedy is also survived by her son, Conor, and another son, Declan, whom she shared with Liam Kerr. The couple, who were married in August 2012, also had a daughter, Josephine, who died days after her birth. Kennedy is also survived by her siblings, Michael and Rory, four nieces and nephews, and her mother. Victoria Gifford is the stepdaughter of Kathie Lee Gifford, former co-host of the “Today” show.
Kennedy attended Milton Academy and later studied history at Georgetown University. She went on to earn a Master of Science in Early Education from Pace University and a Master of Education in Education Policy and Management from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. After college, she taught in New York City as part of Teach For America. According to her obituary, Kennedy was a dedicated advocate for equitable elementary education and charter schooling, working with technology companies focused on reforming school curricula and coaching educators.