Former US President John F Kennedy's Granddaughter Tatiana Schlossberg Dies At 35

Washington: Environmental journalist and granddaughter of former US President John F Kennedy, Tatiana Schlossberg, has died at the age of 35 on Tuesday after battling terminal cancer. The Kennedy family announced her passing on social media, sharing a heartfelt statement. The daughter of Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg had been open about her diagnosis in a heartfelt essay published in a local newspaper in November, revealing she had been living with the rare mutation since May 2024.

According to reports, Tatiana was fighting against acute myeloid leukemia, a rare and aggressive form of cancer, before losing the battle to the disease. The former US president's granddaughter, a talented environmental journalist, had been receiving treatment at various hospitals, including Columbia Presbyterian Hospital and Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital, undergoing chemotherapy, stem cell transplants, and participating in clinical trials. Her family, including her parents, siblings Rose and Jack, and husband George Moran, had been by her side throughout her battle.

Notably, Tatiana's journey with cancer began in May 2024, when she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, a disease that typically affects older people. Despite undergoing rounds of chemotherapy, two stem cell transplants, and participating in clinical trials, the cancer eventually took its toll. Her family and loved ones are left to pick up the pieces, remembering a bright light that shone too briefly.

Tatiana's passing has left the Kennedy family shattered. Born on May 5 in the year 1990, she was the second child of Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg, and the granddaughter of President John F Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Her death recalled the family's history of loss, including the assassinations of her grandfather and great-uncle Robert F Kennedy, and the plane crash that claimed the life of her uncle John F Kennedy Jr in 1999.

Brave Voice As Journalist

As a journalist, Tatiana made a name for herself covering climate change and the environment for The New York Times' Science section. Her work was widely acclaimed, and her 2019 book ‘Inconspicuous Consumption: The Environmental Impact You Don’t Know You Have’ won the Society of Environmental Journalists' Rachel Carson Environment Book Award in 2020.

Tatiana's essay in The New Yorker was a moving reflection on her life, her family, and her struggles with cancer. She also used the platform to criticize her cousin, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, for his stance on vaccines and cancer research funding. Tatiana's experience with cancer gave her a unique perspective on the disease, and she used her platform to raise awareness about the need for more research and better policies. 

The John F. Kennedy Library Foundation shared a statement on social media, saying, "Our beautiful Tatiana passed away this morning. She will always be in our hearts." Tatiana is survived by her husband George Moran, their two children, Edwin and Josephine, and her family.