The Kennedy family has been struck by another profound tragedy with the death of Tatiana Schlossberg, the 35-year-old daughter of Caroline Kennedy. She passed away on Tuesday morning following a battle with a rare and aggressive form of blood cancer.
A Life Marked by Heartbreak
For her mother, Caroline Kennedy, this loss represents the latest chapter in a life defined by public grief. Caroline was just five years old in 1963 when her father, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in Dallas. Five years later, her uncle, Senator Robert F. Kennedy, met the same fate in Los Angeles.
The series of personal catastrophes, often referred to as the 'Kennedy curse', continued into her adulthood. In 1994, her mother, the iconic Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, died from lymphoma at the age of 64. Then, in 1999, her only sibling, John F. Kennedy Jr., perished alongside his wife Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and her sister Lauren in a plane crash off Martha's Vineyard. That incident left Caroline as the sole surviving member of President Kennedy's immediate family.
Tatiana's Private Battle and Public Legacy
Tatiana Schlossberg, the second of Caroline's three children with husband Edwin Schlossberg, was a successful journalist. Her work appeared in prestigious publications including The New York Times, The Atlantic, and The Washington Post.
In a poignant essay for The New Yorker in late November 2025 titled 'A Battle With My Blood', she revealed her diagnosis. She had been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in May 2024, shortly after the birth of her second child. Initial routine blood tests prompted concern, with doctors suggesting it could be related to pregnancy or the serious blood cancer.
Her treatment was arduous. After five weeks at Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital post-birth, she transferred to Memorial Sloan Kettering for a bone-marrow transplant. Sadly, her cancer proved resistant to both standard chemotherapy and a clinical trial of CAR-T-cell therapy.
A Family's Enduring Strength Amid Sorrow
While navigating her daughter's illness, Caroline Kennedy continued her distinguished diplomatic career. Appointed US Ambassador to Japan by President Barack Obama, she later served as Ambassador to Australia under President Joe Biden. She had announced in September 2024 her intention to leave that post regardless of the presidential election outcome.
The family's loss was announced via a simple, heartfelt message on the JFK Library Foundation's social media. 'Our beautiful Tatiana passed away this morning. She will always be in our hearts,' the statement read, signed by Caroline, her husband, their children, and other family members.
Tatiana's passing echoes the loss of her grandmother to lymphoma and adds a new layer of sorrow to a family all too familiar with premature death. She leaves behind her husband, her two young children, her mother, and her siblings, Rose and Jack.
