The Kennedy family is mourning yet another tragic loss with the death of Tatiana Schlossberg, granddaughter of former US President John F. Kennedy. Schlossberg passed away at the age of 35 after a courageous battle with acute myeloid leukaemia, a diagnosis she revealed publicly earlier this year. Her death was confirmed by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation, which shared a heartfelt statement from family members expressing their grief: “Our beautiful Tatiana passed away this morning. She will always be in our hearts.”
Tatiana was the daughter of **Caroline Kennedy** and **Edwin Schlossberg**, and she leaves behind two young children. Her illness was first diagnosed in May 2024, coinciding with the birth of her daughter. In an essay published in **The New Yorker**, she recounted how routine blood tests revealed her blood cancer, despite feeling healthy throughout her pregnancy. She recalled the shocking moment she learned of her diagnosis: “I did not, could not, believe that they were talking about me. I had swum a mile in the pool the day before, nine months pregnant. I wasn’t sick. I didn’t feel sick.”
Following her diagnosis, Tatiana underwent extensive treatment, including chemotherapy, blood transfusions, and two bone-marrow transplants. Her sister, **Rose Schlossberg**, was a match and provided stem cells for the initial transplant. In early 2025, she participated in a clinical trial for CAR-T cell therapy, an innovative form of immunotherapy. Despite her efforts, doctors informed her family that her condition was difficult to manage, stating they could keep her alive “for a year, maybe.”
Throughout her treatment, Tatiana expressed the emotional toll her illness took on her family, particularly her children. She was unable to care for her newborn daughter due to the high risk of infection after her transplants. In her poignant essay, she shared, “I was gone for almost half of her first year of life. I don’t know who, really, she thinks I am.” Her reflections on motherhood and the fear of not being remembered by her children reveal a deep sense of loss and guilt.
Tatiana also highlighted the impact her illness had on her mother, Caroline Kennedy, who has experienced profound losses throughout her life. The Kennedy family is often associated with a legacy of tragedy, often referred to as the “Kennedy Curse.” This legacy includes the deaths of several family members under tragic circumstances, beginning with **Joseph P. Kennedy Jr.**, who was killed during World War II, and **Kathleen Kennedy Cavendish**, who died in a plane crash in 1948.
On November 22, 1963, Caroline’s father, **John F. Kennedy**, was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. This violent loss profoundly affected the family, as did the assassination of **Robert F. Kennedy**, Caroline’s brother, in 1968 while he was campaigning for the presidency. Subsequent tragedies included the deaths of several of Robert’s children and the passing of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Caroline’s mother, in 1994.
Tatiana’s death adds to the weight of grief that Caroline has endured, having lost her father, mother, brother, and now her daughter. The family has not yet announced funeral arrangements, as they navigate this difficult period.
In an unsettling twist, during her illness, Tatiana voiced concerns about political developments within her extended family. She criticized **Robert F. Kennedy Jr.**, her second cousin, over his appointment as US health secretary and his controversial views on vaccines. In her essay, she stated, “I watched from my hospital bed as Bobby, in the face of logic and common sense, was confirmed for the position, despite never having worked in medicine, public health, or the government.”
As the Kennedy family confronts this latest heartache, many will reflect on the broader implications of their enduring legacy. Tatiana Schlossberg’s vibrant life, marked by her role as a mother and an environmental journalist, will be remembered alongside the family’s storied history of resilience in the face of tragedy.
