Tatiana Schlossberg, granddaughter of JFK, dies at 35: Another chapter in the Kennedy family’s tragic history of young losses

The Kennedy family is one of the most famous political dynasties in the United States. For decades, it has been celebrated for public service and political leadership. But it has also been marked by a long list of premature deaths and tragedies that have shaped the public imagination and given rise to the idea of the Kennedy curse. Some of the most iconic members of this family have died far too young from accidents, shootings, plane crashes, sudden illness, or unexpected causes. Their stories span from World War II battles to high-profile assassinations and now include the recent passing of Tatiana Schlossberg, granddaughter of President John F. Kennedy, at age 35 after a battle with cancer.




Tatiana Schlossberg, an environmental journalist and the granddaughter of John F. Kennedy, has died at the age of 35 following a battle with acute myeloid leukaemia. Her family announced her passing on December 30, 2025. She had just weeks earlier revealed in a deeply personal essay for The New Yorker that she was facing terminal cancer after being diagnosed in May 2024 just after the birth of her second child.




In that essay, she reflected on her illness and the impact on her young family and even criticised some health policy decisions she believed could harm efforts to help patients like her. Her death brings another sombre chapter to a family long known for both achievement and loss.

The Kennedy family has experienced many losses across generations. Some of the most notable early or tragic deaths include:

Joseph P. Kennedy Jr (29)

Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr, the eldest son of Joseph P. Kennedy Sr, was being groomed for leadership when he was killed in action at age 29 during World War II. His bomber exploded over England in 1944 while on a secret Navy mission.

Patrick Bouvier Kennedy

Patrick was the infant son of President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. He died just two days after his premature birth in 1963 from complications of respiratory distress.

John F. Kennedy (46)




The US president himself was assassinated in Dallas in November 1963 at the age of 46 while riding in a motorcade. His death was a defining moment in American history.

Robert F. Kennedy (42)

Robert Kennedy, brother of President Kennedy and a U.S. senator and presidential candidate, was assassinated in Los Angeles in 1968 at age 42 after winning the California primary.

John F. Kennedy Jr (38)

Kennedy’s son John F. Kennedy Jr died in a plane crash off Martha’s Vineyard in 1999 at age 38, along with his wife Carolyn Bessette and her sister Lauren Bessette.

Beyond these, other younger family members have died tragically, such as Maeve Kennedy McKean, granddaughter of Robert F. Kennedy, who drowned along with her son in 2020, and Saoirse Kennedy Hill, another granddaughter who died of a drug overdose at age 22. While not exhaustive, these examples highlight a sequence of personal losses that have affected multiple generations.



Tributes poured in quickly on social media and from public figures following news of Tatiana’s passing, with many remembering her as a courageous writer, devoted mother, and passionate voice on environmental issues. Her cousin Maria Shriver called her “valiant” and said she “loved life and fought like hell."






Tatiana Schlossberg first revealed her diagnosis publicly in an essay titled A Battle With My Blood, published in The New Yorker in November 2025. She recounted that her illness was discovered in May 2024, shortly after she gave birth to her second child, when a routine blood test showed abnormal white blood cell levels that led to tests confirming acute myeloid leukaemia with a rare mutation.

Despite vigorous treatment, including chemotherapy and stem cell transplants, her condition was terminal. She wrote with honesty about her shock at being so sick while having felt healthy just days earlier and about her fear that her children might not remember her.




She reflected on her effort to be a good daughter, sister, and mother, and acknowledged the profound sadness of leaving her family behind. Her essay also contained a critique of health policy decisions by her cousin Robert F. Kennedy Jr, arguing that cuts to medical research and changes to vaccine policy could harm patients and undermine public health research.