Times The Kennedy Curse Was Frighteningly Real

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Chances are when you think of the Kennedy family, you think of wealth, style, and more than likely, the Kennedy curse.

For those that don’t know, the Kennedy curse is one of the oldest and most talked about conspiracy theories in popular culture, dating back to the early 20th century. The theory goes that the Kennedy curse strikes the descendants of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. in ways such as premature deaths and accidents. Not only are the Kennedy family members known for quite early deaths in a shocking manner, but quite a few disturbing events of happened to this family, and it’s happened way more often than other families.

From JFK’s assassination and his brothers five years after to the more recent and tragic passing of Kennedy family members, there’s a reason why this conspiracy theory has stood the test of time.

Please note that quite a few members of the Kennedy family tragically died by suicide, but we will not be discussing them in this slide show. Instead, we’ll be focusing on the freak accidents, sudden deaths, and tragic aftermaths of diagnosis that fall more in line with the curse conspiracy.

We are going all the way back to the 1940s to the most recent death that happened to extended family members back at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Get ready, because there’s a lot to unpack here with this Kennedy curse.

Check out every Eerie instance where the Kennedy curse seemed frighteningly real.

Please note as a disclaimer that this gallery touches on subjects such as mental illness, miscarriages, and health issues.

A version of this article was originally published on Aug 2023.

Rosemary Kennedy’s Tragic Life

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Rosemary Kennedy was known for experiencing seizures, mood swings, and due to a loss of oxygen during her birth, per Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter, by Kate Clifford Larson. When Rosemary turned 23, her father Joseph Kennedy scheduled a lobotomy for her, and didn’t tell his wife until after the procedure was done.

He did this because he was embarrassed over her behavior, and out of fear, he did this horrific act to help the family’s political careers.
Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr.’s Shocking Death

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Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. was about to go home after being in the line of duty, but in Aug of 1944, he volunteered to fly a bomb-packed aircraft over the North Sea. He had a plan to parachute out, but the bombs detonated early and instantly killed him in 1944.
Kathleen Kennedy’s Death

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On May 13, 1948, at the age of only 28, Kathleen “Kick” Kennedy died in a freak plane crash while on her way to the French Riviera. She, along with Lord Fitzwilliam, the pilot Peter Townshend and the navigator Arthur Freeman died instantly after multiple issues happened on the plane, per People.
The Infancy Deaths of Arabella & Patrick Kennedy

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JFK and Jackie Kennedy’s son Patrick Bouvier Kennedy tragically died from complications of hyaline membrane disease (HMD) after two days. Eight years prior, she gave birth to their stillborn daughter Arabella.
Edward Moore Kennedy’s Deadly Accidents

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Edward Moore Kennedy, also known as Ted Kennedy, cheated death twice, but went through traumatic events. First, on June 19, 1964, he was one of the only survivors of a plane crash that left him with intense injuries such as broken ribs and internal bleeding. A little over five years later, he accidentally drove his car off a bridge, which ended up killing a passenger named Mary Jo Kopechne.
John F. Kennedy’s Assasination

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One of the most, if not the most, well-known instances of the Kennedy curse was when former US President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on Nov 22, 1963, by Lee Harvey Oswald.
Robert Kennedy’s Death

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To make matters even stranger, many forget that JFK’s brother Robert Kennedy was shot dead after being assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan, who shot him one day after he won the California primary. This happened less than four months before JFK’s sudden death.
Ted Kennedy Jr’s Amputation

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JFK’s nephew Ted Kennedy Jr. was diagnosed with osteosarcoma as a child and had to get his right leg amputated in Nov 1973, per HistoryHit.
Michael LeMoyne Kennedy’s Sudden Death

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Michael LeMoyne Kennedy’s sudden death was another case of a scary curse looming over the family. The sixth child of Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy died at 39 on New Year’s Eve after a scary skiing accident, where he accidentally swerved straight into a tree.
John F. Kennedy Jr. & His Wife Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy’s Freak Accident

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Many were shocked when news broke that John F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, along with Basette’s sister Lauren died suddenly after a plane crash on July 16, 1999. What’s even more spooky is that in the book entitled The Kennedy Curse: Why Tragedy Has Haunted America’s First Family for 150 Years, it’s claimed that Bassette had visions of something awful happening with the plane.
Kara Kennedy’s Shocking Heart Attack

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Almost exactly two years after her father’s death, Kara Kennedy suffered a major heart attack right after her daily workout at only 51 years old.
Saoirse Kennedy Hill

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RFK Jr’s granddaughter Saoirse Kennedy Hill suddenly passed away on Aug 1, 2019 from an accidental overdose, per People. She was a mental health advocate, writer, and activist who is remembered and loved to this day.
Maeve Kennedy Townsend McKean & Son Gideon’s Tragedy

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The world was shocked by one of the most recent tragedies in the Kennedy family: when Maeve Kennedy Townsend McKean and her eight-year-old son Gideon disappeared in early 2020. While canoeing together in Shady Side, Maryland, the two disappeared. Within a week, both of them were tragically found dead from drowning, per People.