The death of Tatiana Schlossberg, 35, after disclosing a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia has reignited discussion of the alleged 'Kennedy curse.' Her New Yorker essay, published on Nov. 22, noted how the diagnosis compounded the grief of her mother, Caroline Kennedy, and coincided with the anniversary of JFK’s assassination. The Kennedy family has experienced many high‑profile tragedies over decades—from wartime deaths and plane crashes to assassinations, medical harm, overdoses, and accidents—though labeling these events a 'curse' overlooks the varied and human causes behind them.
How Tragedy Has Shadowed the Kennedys: Revisiting the ‘Curse’ After Tatiana Schlossberg’s Death
Historical / Corbis via Getty Images
The death of Tatiana Schlossberg, a 35-year-old granddaughter of John F. Kennedy, has renewed public conversation about the so‑called 'Kennedy curse'—a phrase often used to describe the long string of misfortunes that have affected one of America's most prominent political families.
Schlossberg, an environmental journalist and mother of two, revealed last month in an emotional essay for The New Yorker that she had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia and was given roughly one year to live. Her disclosure, published on Nov. 22—exactly 62 years after her grandfather's assassination—prompted a global outpouring of sympathy and reflection.
Tatiana Schlossberg, second right, announced her cancer diagnosis only last month. / Angela Weiss / AFP via Getty Images
While the idea of a 'curse' is speculative and rooted in cultural storytelling, the Kennedy family has undeniably experienced tragedies across generations, involving wartime deaths, plane crashes, political assassinations, medical and neurological harm, substance-related deaths, and accidents. Below is a concise, chronological account of many of the most notable losses and incidents.
Timeline of Major Tragedies
1944: On Aug. 12, Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., the eldest son of Joseph and Rose Kennedy, died at age 29 when his plane exploded during a secret U.S. Navy bombing mission in World War II. John F. Kennedy later reflected that his brother's death seemed to tear a hole in the natural order of the family’s expectations.
Siblings Joe Jr., Kathleen, and John Kennedy, on Sept. 3, 1939. / nps.gov / nps.gov
1948: Kathleen 'Kick' Kennedy, 28, died in a plane crash while traveling from Paris toward the French Riviera. Reports said she perished alongside her companion and members of the flight crew.
1940s (Rosemary Kennedy): The family suffered another private and painful episode when patriarch Joseph Kennedy arranged for his eldest daughter, Rosemary, to undergo a prefrontal lobotomy at age 23. The operation left her permanently disabled and institutionalized, a decision that later spurred advocacy for mental‑health reform within the family.
John F. Kennedy Jr., on his third birthday, salutes as the casket of his father, the late President John F. Kennedy, is carried from St. Matthew's Cathedral in Washington, DC. / Bettmann / Bettmann Archive
1963: The Kennedys endured two profound losses in 1963. Patrick Bouvier Kennedy, the premature newborn son of John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Kennedy, died two days after birth from what is now known as respiratory distress syndrome. Later that year, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, an event that shook the nation and the world.
1968: Robert F. Kennedy, former U.S. attorney general and then-presidential candidate, was fatally shot in Los Angeles after winning the California primary. He was 42.
After his assassination, Robert F. Kennedy's funeral train was mobbed by mourners as it traveled from New York to D.C. He was laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery. / Paul Fusco/Look Magazine/Library of Congress
1969 (Chappaquiddick): Senator Edward 'Ted' Kennedy's car went off a bridge on Chappaquiddick Island, resulting in the drowning death of his passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne, 28. Kennedy's delayed report to authorities and the subsequent legal outcome damaged his political standing.
1984: David Kennedy, son of Robert F. Kennedy, died of a drug overdose at age 28 in Palm Beach, Florida, amid a struggle with addiction that affected several family members.
John F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, in 1996, in their first public cameo after returning from their honeymoon. / Newsday LLC / Newsday RM via Getty Images
1997: Michael Kennedy, the sixth child of Robert and Ethel Kennedy, died in a skiing accident in Aspen, Colorado, at age 39.
1999: John F. Kennedy Jr., son of JFK and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, died at 38 when the small plane he was piloting crashed off the coast of Martha's Vineyard. His wife, Carolyn Bessette‑Kennedy, and her sister, Lauren Bessette, also perished.
Joseph P. and Rose Kennedy pose for a picture on the beach at Hyannis Port, Massachusetts with their eight children. (Photo by © CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images) / Historical / Corbis via Getty Images
2011–2020: The family continued to experience personal tragedies: Kara Kennedy, daughter of Ted Kennedy, died of a heart attack in 2011; Mary Richardson Kennedy, then estranged wife of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., died by suicide in 2012; Saoirse Kennedy Hill, RFK’s granddaughter, died of an accidental drug overdose in 2019; and in 2020, Maeve Kennedy McKean and her 8‑year‑old son Gideon drowned in a canoeing accident.
Context and Reflection
Framing these events as a 'curse' simplifies a complex history that involves chance, risky circumstances, public exposure, mental‑health struggles, and substance abuse—factors that can affect any family. The Kennedys' high public profile, political activity, and extensive media attention mean their losses are especially visible and often amplified in public memory.
While the term 'curse' captures public imagination, each tragedy has its own causes and consequences. The family's responses—public service, advocacy, and philanthropy—are also a large part of their legacy.
