"SHE SET OUT TO CHANGE THE WORLD"

EUNICE KENNEDY, JFK'S SISTER, BORN IN BROOKLINE

Boston, Massachusetts (JFK+50) On July 10, 1921, Eunice Mary Kennedy*, sister of future POTUS John F. Kennedy, was born in Brookline, Massachusetts.  She was the fifth child of Mr. & Mrs. Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr.

Eunice was educated at the Convent of The Sacred Heart, Manhattanville College & Stanford University, 1943.  She married Sargent Shriver in 1953 & became executive vice-president of the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation in 1957.

Upon her death in 2009, the Shriver family issued a statement which included these words...

"She set out to change the world and to change us, and she did that and more."

*Eunice Mary Kennedy Shriver (1921-2009) founded the Special Olympics, a sports organization for persons with physical and intellectual disabilities.  

In addition to many other awards, EMKS was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Ronald Reagan in 1984.

 

 

Eunice Kennedy Shriver

NO PHYSICAL OR MENTAL BARRIER CAN RESTRAIN THE POWER OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT

JFK+50:  Volume 6, No. 2005

EUNICE KENNEDY SHRIVER BORN 95 YEARS AGO TODAY

Brookline, Massachusetts (JFK+50) The sister of President John F. Kennedy and the fifth child of Ambassador Joseph P. and Rose F. Kennedy, Eunice Kennedy Shriver*, was born 95 years ago today.

Eunice attended the Convent of the Sacred Heart, Manhattanville College and Stanford University.  She married Sargent Shriver, who became JFK's Peace Corps Director, in 1953.

In 1960, Eunice was active in her brother Jack's campaign for President.

A longtime advocate of children's health and disability issues, she was a founder of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in 1962.

Eunice convened the first Special Olympic Games held at Chicago's Soldier Field on July 20, 1968.  She administered the following oath to a thousand participants from 26 states and Canada...

"Let me win,
but if I cannot win,
Let me be brave
in the attempt."

According the www.eunicekennedy.org/, there are more than 3 million participants in the Special Olympics today, representing all 50 states and 181 countries.

In 1984, Eunice Kennedy Shriver was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Ronald Reagan.  Upon her death, President Barack Obama said...

"She taught our nation--and our world--that no physical or mental barrier can restrain the power of the human spirit."

*Eunice Kennedy Shriver (1921-2009) was born in Brookline, Massachusetts and died at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis on August 10, 2009.

SOURCE

"Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Her Story," www.eunicekennedyshriver.org/

Eunice Kennedy Shriver

March 3, 2008

National Institute of Child Health Photo 

Eunice with Special Needs Children

Cape Cod, Massachusetts

By David Lenz (2009)

KENNEDY-SHRIVER WEDDING

KENNEDY-SHRIVER WEDDING 61 YEARS AGO 

New York City (JFK+50) Eunice Kennedy, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. and sister of Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy,  was married to Robert Sargent Shriver, Jr. 61 years ago today, May 23, 1953, at St. Patrick's Cathedral here in New York City.

Eunice Kennedy was 31 years old while her husband was 37.

Francis Cardinal Spellman officiated the nuptial mass.  

The bride wore a white Christian Dior gown with a fitted bodice.*

*Eunice Kennedy Shriver was the founder of the Special Olympics.  She died at the age of 88 on August 11, 2009.  

The Shriver family issued this statement...

"She was a living prayer, a living advocate, a living center of power.  She set out to change the world and to change us and she did that and more."

President Barack Obama said...

"She was an extraordinary woman who taught our nation and our world that no physical or mental barrier can restrain the power of the human spirit."

Governor Frank Clement, Rose Kennedy
                Eunice and Sargent Shriver
             Founding of the JFK Center
                         May 29, 1965
                www.kc.vanderbilt.edu



JFK RETURNED TO THE SENATE 59 YEARS AGO 

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) After recuperation of several months at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr., Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts resumed his Senate duties 59 years ago today, May 23, 1955.

Senator Kennedy was recovering from back surgery. He arrived here in the National Capital by plane with his wife, Jacqueline and his sister, Jean.

When Mr. Kennedy arrived at his office, he found on his desk a card which read:

 "Welcome home!" 

 It was signed:

"Dick Nixon".

JFK at the 1956 Democratic Convention