Martha Stewart shared details of a final, prescient conversation with John F. Kennedy Jr. just days before his fatal 1999 plane crash during the premiere of "The Real Housewives of New York City." Stewart recounted that Kennedy Jr. called her, stating he was "in trouble," prior to their meeting for dinner.
During the conversation with her makeup artist and fellow cast member, Daisy Toye, Stewart recalled that Kennedy Jr. had sought her advice on his political-lifestyle magazine, "George." Following their discussion about the magazine, Stewart asked about his plans for the upcoming weekend. Kennedy Jr. informed her that he would be flying himself, his wife Carolyn Bessette, and her sister Lauren to Martha's Vineyard for a wedding.
Stewart then advised Kennedy Jr. to utilize a co-pilot for the flight. He reportedly responded, "I don't need a co-pilot," a statement that Stewart admitted to Toye she has pondered many times since the tragedy.
Kennedy Jr., who had limited flying experience, was piloting a Piper Saratoga plane that departed from Essex Airport in Caldwell, New Jersey. The intended itinerary was to first drop off Lauren Bessette at Martha's Vineyard before proceeding to Hyannis Port for his cousin Rory Kennedy’s wedding. However, shortly after takeoff, Kennedy Jr. allegedly became disoriented in thick fog. The plane subsequently spiraled and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Martha's Vineyard.
John F. Kennedy Jr., Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, and Lauren Bessette were all pronounced dead at the scene. Kennedy Jr. was 38 years old, Carolyn was 33, and Lauren was 34.
Prior to their deaths, Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn were known to move in similar New York City social circles as Stewart. There are also accounts of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy reaching out to Stewart for culinary and decorating advice in the mid-1990s.
"The Real Housewives of New York City" airs Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.