Presidential historian Craig Shirley on Friday paid tribute to Ethel Kennedy, the late wife of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, who died this week at the age of 96, who he called an "icon of American political life."
Ethel Kennedy's grandson, former Rep. Joe Kennedy III, announced his grandmother's death in a statement on Thursday saying she passed away due to "complications related to a stroke suffered last week."
Shirley said on Newsmax's "Wake Up America" that Ethel Kennedy's legacy "spans … almost an entire century."
He recounted meeting Kennedy and his longtime friendship with her daughter, Kathleen Kennedy, saying that Ethel "was just charming and gracious," calling her an "icon of American political life."
Shirley added: "She saw everything. She saw death and life, and she saw political conventions and elections. She probably suffered as much tragedy as any public figure we can think of."
He noted that Ethel Kennedy's parents died in a plane crash in 1955, her brother-in-law, President John F. Kennedy, and her husband were both assassinated, and two of her 11 children "died tragically," as did her nephew, John F. Kennedy, Jr.
Shirley said, "This woman saw much tragedy, but also she contributed so much … she kept persevering" and "didn't retreat. She kept pushing forward with her agenda."
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Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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