Inside Kyle Kennedy's Final Years Before Her Death at 42 — How RFK's Granddaughter Became a Disability Advocate After Spinal Cord Injury Left Her Paralyzed
Kennedy turned her experience into advocacy
Oct. 20 2026, Published 3:02 p.m. ET
Kyle Kennedy, the granddaughter of Robert F. Kennedy and Ethel Kennedy, died September 21 at her home in Westwood, Massachusetts. She was 42.
The educator and disability advocate had spent her final years living with long-term paralysis after suffering a severe spinal cord injury in 2020.
Kennedy's obituary said she died peacefully, while her cause of death has not been publicly disclosed.
Her death certificate lists the cause as pending, with the manner of death under investigation. Her funeral services were held privately.
After her injury, Kennedy turned her experience into advocacy, speaking out about health care discrimination affecting people with disabilities while continuing to raise her two sons, Conor and Declan.
From Teaching to Education Reform
RFK remains a central political figure in the mid-20th-century.
Born July 6, 1984, in Washington, D.C., Kennedy was the daughter of Michael Kennedy and Victoria Denise Gifford. Her father, one of Robert and Ethel Kennedy's children, died in a skiing accident in 1997 when Kyle was 13.
Kennedy attended Milton Academy before studying history at Georgetown University.
She later earned a master's degree in early education from Pace University and a Master of Education in education policy and management from Harvard University's Graduate School of Education.
After college, she joined Teach For America and taught for two years in New York City's public schools. Her career later expanded into education reform, including work involving curriculum development, charter schooling, and coaching educators who worked with young children.
Graduate School of Education
She earned degrees from Georgetown, Pace University and Harvard’s Graduate School of Education.
Kennedy's professional focus remained centered on improving educational opportunities for children who were underserved. Her obituary described her as a passionate advocate for more equitable elementary education and charter schooling.
That commitment eventually intersected with her own experience with disability. In 2020, Kennedy suffered a severe spinal cord injury that resulted in long-term paralysis, disability, and other medical challenges. Public accounts have not disclosed how the injury occurred.
Before the injury, Kennedy was an avid runner. She completed the 2019 Boston Marathon in a driving rainstorm, finishing 20 minutes faster than her father's time, according to her obituary.
Injury Led to Disability Advocacy
After a 2020 spinal cord injury, she became an advocate for disability rights and accessibility.
The years following the injury brought significant challenges, but Kennedy continued advocating for others living with disabilities. She testified at the Massachusetts State House during a hearing concerning discrimination in health care for people with disabilities.
Her advocacy became another part of a career built around equity. She continued raising her sons while navigating the long-term effects of her injury, with her obituary remembering her determination and dry wit during difficult years.
Family Life in Westwood
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She raised sons Conor and Declan in Massachusetts, with her two Wheaten terriers.
Kennedy married Liam Kerr in 2012, and the couple had three children.
Their twins, Conor and Josephine, were born first, but Josephine, known as Josie, died days after birth. They later welcomed their son Declan. Kerr was identified as Kennedy's former husband in her obituary.
Kennedy is survived by Conor, 12, and Declan, 10, as well as her mother, Victoria, siblings Michael and Rory, and their families. She was also predeceased by her father and infant daughter.
Her obituary also remembered Kennedy's two Wheaten terriers as her “beloved, ill-behaved” companions. Funeral services were private.
