Kerry Kennedy has paid tribute to her niece, Kyle Kennedy, a day after it was announced that she had died at age 42.
Kyle, the granddaughter of former US Senator Robert F Kennedy and his wife, Ethel Kennedy, died at her home in Westwood, Massachusetts, on September 21, it was revealed on Tuesday.
On Wednesday morning, her aunt, an heiress to the political dynasty, took to social media, stating that their family has been left 'heartbroken' over Kyle's death.
'A bright light and gentle spirit, Kyle was a committed educator and devoted mother to Conor and Declan,' Kerry wrote on X.
'Our hearts are with her children, her mother Vicki, her brother Michael and sister Rory.
'Kyle was the daughter of my beloved late brother Michael and Vicki Gifford Kennedy. May she rest in eternal peace among the angels with her father and daughter Josephine. We love and miss you, Kyle.'
The late educator was a mother of three to her beloved children, Conor Kerr, 12, Declan Kerr, 10, and Josie Kerr, Conor's twin, who died just days after her birth in 2014.
Her cause and manner of death have not yet been revealed.
Kerry Kennedy said the family is 'heartbroken' over the recent death of her niece Kyle Kennedy. (Pictured L-R: Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, Ethel Kennedy, Kerry Kennedy and Kyle Kennedy in 2013)
Kyle suffered a severe spinal cord injury in 2020 that left her permanently paralyzed, though the details remain unclear.
According to her obituary: 'Kyle fought to maintain her dry wit and determination through it all, trying to be the best possible mother.'
She was a huge advocate for the disabled community and brought accessibility issues to legislators' attention.
In June 2025, she appeared before the Massachusetts State Legislature and testified on discrimination against those with disabilities while they receive healthcare services.
She also taught in the New York City public school system through a nonprofit called Teach For America before working for tech companies to advance school curriculum.
Kyle was the daughter of Michael Kennedy, the niece of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr and the great-niece of assassinated former President John F Kennedy.
Her mother, Victoria, is the daughter of late NFL legend Frank Gifford, who died in 2015.
She has joined a long list of members of the Kennedy family who have lost their lives over the years in what has become publicly known as the 'Kennedy curse.'
Kyle, the granddaughter of former US Senator Robert F Kennedy and his wife, Ethel Kennedy, died at her home in Westwood, Massachusetts, on September 21
The late educator was a mother of three to her beloved children, Conor Kerr, 12, Declan Kerr, 10, and Josie Kerr, Conor's twin, who passed away just days after her birth in 2014. She married Liam Kerr in 2012
Kyle's father, Michael, died in a freak skiing accident when she was 13.
Her death came just months after it was revealed that Saoirse Kennedy Hill, Robert F Kennedy Jr's niece, died from a fentanyl overdose in 2019.
In late 2025, Tatiana Schlossberg, the granddaughter of former President John F Kennedy, died of terminal acute myeloid leukemia at the age of 35. She and Kyle were second cousins.
In 2012, Kyle's wedding to Liam Kerr was famously crashed by her cousin Conor and his then-girlfriend, pop star Taylor Swift.
Kyle's family said her recent years confined to a wheelchair were far away from the 'naturally fast and competitive' way she lived much of her life.
'Throughout her life she could frequently be seen outrunning her peers on playgrounds, soccer pitches, and lacrosse fields, while in quieter moments tenaciously pursuing all out victory in trivial pursuit or card games,' her obituary read.
She has joined a long list of members of the Kennedy family who have lost their lives over the years in what has become known as the 'Kennedy curse'
'As an adult, she developed a passion for long-distance running and in 2019 completed the Boston Marathon in a driving rainstorm, beating her own father's time by twenty minutes.'
Despite suffering a severe spinal injury in 2020, the cause of which has never been revealed, Kyle's family said she continued living through 'paralysis, disability and medical challenges.'
'The years that followed brought struggles but Kyle fought to maintain her dry wit and determination through it all, trying to be the best possible mother to her sons and caring for her two beloved, ill-behaved Wheaten terriers,' they wrote.
'She also began to advocate for people living with disabilities, including testifying at the Massachusetts state house in a hearing on discrimination in disabled health care.'