Patrick Kennedy
Patrick Kennedy was the great-grandfather of John F. Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, and Teddy Kennedy, and left Ireland in 1848 to escape poverty.
Political Figure
July 14, 1967
Cancer
57
Brighton, Massachusetts
Patrick Kennedy, an American politician and mental health advocate, served as a U.S. Representative for Rhode Island’s 1st congressional district from 1995 to 2011. He is well-known for his work on mental health and addiction issues, co-founding One Mind and receiving the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology Distinguished Service Award. Additionally, Kennedy authored A Common Struggle: A Personal Journey Through the Past and Future of Mental Illness and Addiction and has appeared on various media outlets, such as CNN and MSNBC, to discuss mental health policy. Despite his initial hesitation to enter politics due to his struggles with bipolar disorder and addiction, Kennedy overcame these challenges and became a prominent figure in advocating for mental health awareness and policy reform. An interesting fact about Patrick Kennedy is that he is the great-grandson of John F. Kennedy, Bobby Kennedy, and Teddy Kennedy’s great-grandfather, who left Ireland in 1848 to escape poverty and build a better life.
