Kyle Francis Kennedy, the granddaughter of late US Senator Robert F. “Bobby” Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy, has died at the age of 42.
Kennedy died at her home in Westwood, Massachusetts, on September 21, 2026, according to an obituary published by Burke Funeral Homes. Her death became public on October 20.
The cause of death has not been established publicly. A death certificate obtained by People magazine reportedly lists the cause as pending, with the manner of death still under investigation.
Kennedy was the daughter of Michael Kennedy, one of Robert and Ethel Kennedy’s 11 children, and Victoria Denise Gifford. Her father died in a skiing accident in 1997 when she was 13.
She built a career in education, focusing on early childhood learning and improving access to quality schooling for disadvantaged children. She studied history at Georgetown University before earning postgraduate degrees in early education from Pace University and education policy and management from Harvard University.
Kennedy also worked with Teach for America, teaching in New York City public schools, before pursuing education advocacy and curriculum reform.
In 2020, she suffered a severe spinal cord injury that resulted in long-term paralysis and disability. Despite the challenges, she became an advocate for people living with disabilities and testified at the Massachusetts State House during a hearing on discrimination in disability healthcare.
Kennedy was also a long-distance runner. In 2019, she completed the Boston Marathon in difficult weather conditions, finishing 20 minutes faster than her father had.
She is survived by her two sons, Conor and Declan, her mother, siblings and extended family. Her daughter, Josephine, died days after birth in 2014.
Funeral services were held privately. Her death adds to a series of losses experienced by the Kennedy family over several decades.
