The Kennedy family has been struck by another significant loss following the passing of Tatiana Schlossberg, the granddaughter of former US President John F Kennedy. Tatiana, aged 35, succumbed to acute myeloid leukemia.
Confirmation of her death came from the JKF Library Foundation through a statement released by the family. The message, signed by her parents, siblings, and close relatives, expressed the heartfelt loss: “Our beautiful Tatiana passed away this morning. She will always be in our hearts.”
Tatiana, the middle child of Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg, was an environmental journalist and author, as well as a mother to two young children. She revealed earlier this year that she was diagnosed with blood cancer in May 2024 while giving birth to her daughter.
In an essay published in The New Yorker magazine titled ‘A Battle With My Blood,’ Tatiana recounted her shock at the diagnosis, narrating how the illness was discovered through routine blood tests post-delivery, despite feeling physically well throughout her pregnancy.
Doctors later revealed she had acute myeloid leukemia with a rare mutation, Inversion 3, which conventional treatments could not cure. Tatiana underwent chemotherapy, blood transfusions, and two bone-marrow transplants, with her sister Rose being a donor match for the first transplant.
In early 2025, Tatiana participated in a clinical trial for CAR-T cell therapy, an immunotherapy form showing promise in blood cancer treatment. Despite the treatment, her doctors could only offer the prospect of prolonging her life for “a year, maybe.”
In her writings, Tatiana detailed the emotional toll of her illness, particularly the separation from her children during treatment. She expressed concerns about her children’s memories of her, especially her son’s, fearing they might fade over time.
Reflecting on the impact of her illness on her mother, Tatiana shared feelings of guilt for adding another tragedy to her family’s life. Her passing adds to the Kennedy family’s long history of bereavement, notably affecting her mother, Caroline Kennedy, who has faced multiple losses from a young age.
The so-called Kennedy Curse, often cited to explain the series of tragedies within the family, dates back to the loss of JFK’s brother, Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., during World War II. Subsequent generations have endured further misfortunes, leading to speculation about a potential family curse.