Rosemary Kennedy, the eldest daughter of Joseph and Rose Kennedy, was born on September 13, 1918, into a powerful family that was part of America’s political elite.

However, her life took a tragic turn due to a series of events that would ultimately lead to her becoming the family’s “dirty little secret.”

Rosemary was born during a tumultuous time in American history, coinciding with World War I and the Spanish Flu epidemic.

Her birth was marked by a horrifying incident; the attending nurse, overwhelmed by the demands of the flu crisis, instructed Rosemary’s mother to hold her legs closed during labor to delay the birth until a doctor arrived.

This decision resulted in Rosemary being deprived of oxygen for over two hours, leading to developmental challenges that would haunt her throughout her life.

As Rosemary grew, it became evident that she was not meeting typical childhood developmental milestones.

The Kennedy family, known for their high expectations and public persona, chose to hide Rosemary’s disabilities rather than seek help.

Instead of openly addressing her needs, they attempted to mold her into a perfect debutante, sending her to private tutors and eventually to a convent school, where she was educated separately from her peers.

Despite her family’s efforts, Rosemary struggled academically and socially.

By the age of 15, her parents decided to present her to society as a debutante, a move that would prove disastrous.

At a royal event with King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, Rosemary’s anxiety and lack of social skills were painfully evident, marking the beginning of her family’s struggles to manage her public image.

In her early twenties, Rosemary’s mental health began to deteriorate rapidly.

She experienced seizures and emotional outbursts, alarming her family.

Joseph Kennedy, desperate to maintain the family’s pristine image and fearing that Rosemary’s behavior would tarnish their reputation, made a horrific decision.

He opted for a lobotomy, a procedure that was poorly understood at the time and often used as a solution for various mental health issues.

In November 1941, Rosemary underwent the lobotomy, which was performed by Dr.

James Watts and Dr.

Walter Freeman.

The procedure was brutal; the doctors cut neural connectors in her frontal lobe, intending to calm her erratic behavior.

Tragically, the outcome was catastrophic.

Rosemary emerged from the surgery with severely diminished mental capacity, unable to speak coherently or care for herself.

After the lobotomy, Rosemary was sent to an institution, first in New York and then to St.

Coletta School in Wisconsin.

The Kennedy family continued to isolate her from the public eye, even going so far as to create a separate living space for her, known as the “Kennedy Cottage.

” Her life in the institution was stark and lonely, with minimal visits from her family.

Rose Kennedy, in particular, did not visit her daughter for over 20 years.

The isolation continued for decades, as Rosemary’s siblings remained largely unaware of her fate.

It wasn’t until 1961, after Joseph Kennedy suffered a stroke, that the family began to confront the reality of Rosemary’s condition.

Joseph finally revealed to his surviving children where Rosemary was living, but he still omitted the details of her lobotomy, perpetuating the family’s secrecy.

Rosemary’s life was a tragic reflection of the stigma surrounding mental health during her time.

Experts today debate whether she truly had a mental disability or if her struggles were rooted in untreated mental illness, possibly depression.

One of the doctors who performed her lobotomy later expressed regret, suggesting that Rosemary may not have needed such an invasive procedure at all.

Despite her family’s attempts to keep her hidden, Rosemary’s story did not end in silence.

Her sister, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founded the Special Olympics in 1968, inspired by the need for greater acceptance and inclusion of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Rosemary’s legacy lives on through the Special Olympics, highlighting the importance of advocacy for those with disabilities.

Rosemary Kennedy’s life was marked by tragedy and misunderstanding, a stark contrast to the public persona of the Kennedy family.

Her story serves as a reminder of the consequences of stigma and the importance of compassion and understanding in addressing mental health issues.

Rosemary passed away in 2005 at the age of 86, surrounded by her surviving siblings, leaving behind a complex legacy that continues to resonate today.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.