Kyle Kennedy, Granddaughter of Robert F. Kennedy, Dead at 42

Kyle Kennedy Passes Away at Age 42 in Westwood Home

Kyle Kennedy, a granddaughter of Robert F. and Ethel Kennedy, died at her home in Westwood, Massachusetts, on September 21 at age 42, according to an online obituary. The cause and manner of her death have not yet been revealed.

Born on July 6, 1984, in Washington, D.C., Kyle was the daughter of Victoria Denise Gifford and Michael Kennedy, who was the sixth of Robert and Ethel’s 11 children. Page Six noted that her mother is the stepdaughter of former “Today” show star Kathie Lee Gifford. Kyle was 13 years old when her father died in a skiing accident on New Year’s Eve 1997, after skiing into a tree while playing football on skis with family members.

Kyle Studied History and Worked in Education

After attending Milton Academy and graduating with a history degree from Georgetown University, Kyle built a career in education. She began her career working at a disadvantaged school through the Teach For America program in New York City. She later earned a Master of Science in Early Education from Pace University and a Master of Education in Education Policy and Management from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education.

According to her obituary detailed by Page Six, she worked as a coach for educators, collaborated with technology companies focused on reforming school curricula, and advocated for charter schooling and equitable elementary education. In her final years, she also advocated for people living with disabilities, testifying at the Massachusetts state house in a hearing on discrimination in disabled health care.

Kyle Married Liam Kerr and Had Three Children

Kyle married Liam Kerr in August 2012, in a ceremony that drew national headlines when her cousin Conor Kennedy attended with his then-girlfriend Taylor Swift. While Taylor Swift insisted she was invited and that Kyle thanked her for attending, Page Six noted that her obituary referred to Kerr as her “former husband.”

During their time together, the couple welcomed a daughter, Josephine, who was a twin to son Conor. The infant died days after her birth. Kyle is survived by her sons Conor, 12, and Declan, 10, her mother Victoria Denise Gifford, and her two siblings, Michael, 43, and Rory, 38. Her passing followed a severe spinal cord injury she suffered in 2020 that left her with long-term paralysis.