Mary Richardson Kennedy
The intelligent, stunning, talented Mary Richardson Kennedy, mother of four, married to the most famous Kennedy man aside from JFK Jr., living in a million-dollar house she’d redesigned in the wealthy suburb of Bedford, New York, was now, in the spring of 2011, about to lose everything.
She could hardly get out of bed. On the days when she mustered enough energy to take the kids to school, she was frequently seen in ratty pajamas and her hair messy.
Other mothers would even remind her to pull herself together and that she was a Kennedy. But the reality was that in those moments, Mary would think: None of you could handle this life.
Bobby was never around. He didn’t have a job requiring travel but traveled all the time. When he was around, he’d take one or all of the children on some adventure and leave his wife behind.
She had become unwelcome despite hosting all the Fourth of July barbecues, dinner parties, and celebrity-studded fundraisers. And, of course, despite raising their children.
Mary had been seeing a therapist, sometimes alone, other times with her husband. And when Bobby asked for Mary to be diagnosed as mentally ill, the therapist refused, stating, “Your wife doesn’t have a mental illness.
She’s angry and depressed, but she’s not ill.” Mary often told others that the Kennedys could destroy her.
And by April 2012, actress Cheryl Hines was beginning to look like the next Mrs. RFK Jr., which meant that Bobby was making some merciless moves now.
He cut off Mary’s credit card, which was court-approved for $20,000 a month in living expenses. Her checking account had a zero balance.
She was no longer welcome at the Kennedy compound and was reduced to asking other moms at the school run if they had an extra $20 so she could get groceries and gas.
The whole town knew what was happening. In other words, Mary Kennedy, had been shut out from being American royalty.
On the morning of May 16, 2012, she got dressed, walked out to her barn, stacked three metal crates on top of each other, and then used a metal ladder to tie a rope around the rafter.
When she was found later that day, her fingers were stuck inside the rope around her neck. She ultimately tried to save herself.
Did you know about all these unfortunate lives the Kennedy curse might have impacted? Feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.
Meanwhile if you liked this article, we also recommend reading: Secrets of a Founding Father: 50 Facts About Benjamin Franklin
