HANNIS, MASS. (WHDH) – Ethel Kennedy, the widow of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, has been hospitalized after suffering a stroke, according to her family.

Kennedy, 96, suffered the stroke in her sleep Thursday morning and was taken to an area hospital, where she remained Tuesday evening, according to the grandson of former Rep. Joe Kennedy III.

“She is comfortable, receiving the best care possible and surrounded by family,” he said in a statement on X. “She is, as you may know, a strong woman who has lived a remarkably full life.” We are here and take care of them.”

The longtime Hyannis resident was married to former Senator and Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy. She and Bobby had eleven children together, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who until recently was a third-party candidate for president.

She was at her husband’s side when he was shot during the 1968 presidential campaign.

In 2014, President Barack Obama awarded Kennedy the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Obama said she deserved the honor for her commitment to promoting social justice and environmental protection.

Throughout her life, the Kennedy matriarch was a zealous advocate for civil and human rights.

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