Kyle Kennedy, a granddaughter of Robert F. Kennedy and the daughter of Michael Kennedy, has died at age 42. According to PEOPLE, she died on Sept. 21. No cause of death has been disclosed; TMZ reported her obituary did not include the cause and manner of death.
Kyle Kennedy was born July 6, 1984, in Washington, D.C., one of 34 grandchildren of Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy. Her parents were Michael Kennedy, who died in 1997, and Victoria Denise Gifford, daughter of Frank Gifford and Maxine Avis Ewart, and stepdaughter of Kathie Lee Gifford. She was 13 when her father died in a skiing accident in which he ran into a tree while playing football on skis with family members. Kyle Kennedy was also a niece of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
She built a career as an educator, beginning in New York City as a teacher with Teach For America after college. Her obituary describes a career dedicated to early childhood education and to reform efforts aimed at improving educational access for disadvantaged children and people with disabilities.
In 2020, Kyle Kennedy sustained a severe spinal cord injury that left her with long-term paralysis. The injury came a year after she ran the Boston Marathon in 2019, reportedly finishing 20 minutes faster than her late father’s time in the race.
Following her injury, she testified before Massachusetts lawmakers about discrimination in health care faced by people with disabilities.
Tributes online
News of her death prompted tributes on social media emphasizing her advocacy and career over her family name.
“Kyle Kennedy deserves to be remembered for more than her famous surname,” one person wrote on X. “In 2019, she ran the Boston Marathon and beat her late father’s time by 20 minutes. A year later, a spinal cord injury left her paralyzed.”
The same post continued: “She went on to testify before Massachusetts lawmakers about discrimination in healthcare for people with disabilities. She spent her career helping children through education and leaves behind two young sons.”
Another person wrote online, “How heartbreaking. This family has endured one tragedy after another.”
Kyle Kennedy is survived by two young sons.
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