Tatiana Schlossberg, a journalist, environmental writer, and granddaughter of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, has died at the age of 35 following a battle with acute myeloid leukemia. Her death comes just six weeks after she publicly revealed her terminal diagnosis, marking another heartbreaking chapter in the long and tragic history of America’s most famous political family.
The news was confirmed Tuesday through a statement shared on the official social media accounts of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum on behalf of her family. The brief message described Schlossberg as “beautiful” and said she would “always be in our hearts,” signed by close relatives, including her husband, siblings, parents, and extended family members.
Schlossberg, who was born in New York, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in May 2024. She disclosed the diagnosis publicly in November in a deeply personal essay published in The New Yorker, where she described the shock of learning she had an aggressive and life-threatening form of blood cancer despite feeling healthy and having no symptoms.
According to her account, the disease was discovered only through routine blood tests conducted after the birth of her second child. At the time, she wrote, she had recently swum a mile while nine months pregnant and considered herself among the healthiest people she knew.
“I wasn’t sick. I didn’t feel sick,” she wrote. “I could not believe the doctors were talking about me.”
A Life Rooted in Public Service and Storytelling
Schlossberg was the daughter of Caroline Kennedy—former U.S. ambassador and the only surviving child of President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis—and designer and author Edwin Schlossberg. Raised largely outside the political spotlight despite her family name, she pursued a career in journalism and environmental advocacy, carving out an identity defined more by ideas than by lineage.
Her writing frequently focused on climate change, conservation, and the human cost of environmental neglect. Colleagues described her as thoughtful, intellectually rigorous, and deeply committed to using storytelling as a tool for public awareness.
In her New Yorker essay, Schlossberg wrote candidly about the physical toll of months of chemotherapy and the prospect of a bone marrow transplant. She also reflected on the emotional weight of illness—not just her own suffering, but the pain she witnessed in those closest to her.
Family Support Through Illness
Throughout her treatment, Schlossberg said she was surrounded by unwavering support from her parents, siblings Rose and Jack, and her husband, physician George Moran. She described how family members endured her suffering alongside her, often hiding their own grief in an effort to protect her emotionally.
“They held my hand unflinchingly while I have suffered,” she wrote. “Trying not to show their pain and sadness in order to protect me from it.”
Schlossberg is survived by Moran and their two young children: Edwin, aged three, and Josephine, aged one. In one of the most poignant passages of her essay, she reflected on the heartbreak of knowing she would not be able to raise her children into adulthood or grow old with her husband.
She described Moran’s tireless devotion—caring for their children, returning to the hospital each night, and ensuring she never felt alone during treatment. “He is perfect,” she wrote, adding that she felt “cheated” by the life she would not be able to finish living.
Reflections on the Kennedy Legacy
In her writing, Schlossberg also addressed the idea often referred to as the “Kennedy curse,” a phrase commonly used to describe the extraordinary number of tragedies endured by her family over generations. She expressed deep sadness over the idea of becoming another source of pain for her mother, Caroline Kennedy, whose life has been shaped by repeated loss.
Caroline was just five years old when her father, President John F. Kennedy, was assassinated in Dallas in 1963. She later lost her brother, John F. Kennedy Jr., in a plane crash in 1999, and her mother, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, to lymphoma in 1994.
“For my whole life, I have tried to protect my mother,” Schlossberg wrote. “Now I have added a new tragedy to her life, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.”
The Kennedy family’s history includes not only assassinations—such as those of President John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert F. Kennedy—but also fatal accidents, overdoses, and public scandals that have repeatedly drawn national attention.
Political Tensions and Final Public Reflections
In her final published essay, Schlossberg also voiced strong criticism of her mother’s cousin, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who currently serves as Secretary of Health and Human Services under President Donald Trump. She described his rise within the administration as deeply troubling, particularly in light of his views on vaccines and public health funding.
From her hospital bed, she wrote of watching political decisions unfold that she believed could have profound consequences for medical research and cancer prevention. She criticized cuts to mRNA research, reductions in National Institutes of Health funding, and efforts to reshape expert panels responsible for cancer screening recommendations.
While these remarks drew attention due to their political implications, much of her essay was ultimately focused on gratitude—toward her family, her medical team, and the life she had been able to live, even if it was far shorter than expected.
An Enduring Voice
Tatiana Schlossberg’s death has prompted an outpouring of tributes from journalists, environmental advocates, and public figures who remembered her not just as a Kennedy, but as a writer of clarity and moral conviction.
Though her life was brief, those who knew her say her work and words will endure—particularly her willingness to confront mortality with honesty, intellect, and grace. Her final essay stands as both a personal farewell and a broader meditation on illness, family, and the fragility of time.
As the Kennedy family mourns yet another profound loss, Schlossberg is remembered as a devoted mother, a loving wife, a thoughtful writer, and a woman determined to speak truthfully until the very end.
This is a developing story. Further updates may follow.
Emily Johnson is a critically acclaimed essayist and novelist known for her thought-provoking works centered on feminism, women’s rights, and modern relationships. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, Emily grew up with a deep love of books, often spending her afternoons at her local library. She went on to study literature and gender studies at UCLA, where she became deeply involved in activism and began publishing essays in campus journals. Her debut essay collection, Voices Unbound, struck a chord with readers nationwide for its fearless exploration of gender dynamics, identity, and the challenges faced by women in contemporary society. Emily later transitioned into fiction, writing novels that balance compelling storytelling with social commentary. Her protagonists are often strong, multidimensional women navigating love, ambition, and the struggles of everyday life, making her a favorite among readers who crave authentic, relatable narratives. Critics praise her ability to merge personal intimacy with universal themes. Off the page, Emily is an advocate for women in publishing, leading workshops that encourage young female writers to embrace their voices. She lives in Seattle with her partner and two rescue cats, where she continues to write, teach, and inspire a new generation of storytellers.
