Robert F Kennedy’s Widow, Ethel, Hospitalized

In July 1999, the world was stunned by the tragic deaths of John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette. As the nation mourned the loss of the beloved couple, whispers of tension and turmoil in their final days began to emerge.

The nation grappled with the sudden loss, with many looking back at the origins of John and Carolyn’s relationship, seeking to understand the couple behind the headlines. Carolyn, known for her striking beauty and keen fashion sense, had a life of her own before meeting John.

After graduating from Boston University with a degree in education, she started working at Calvin Klein’s boutique in Boston. Her life changed when she moved to New York in 1989 and took a job in VIP sales for Calvin Klein. There, she met John.

In the spring of 1992, Calvin Klein was reintroducing menswear. John had a fitting scheduled, and Calvin decided Carolyn should assist him. John left the meeting with a new wardrobe and Carolyn’s phone number.

Calvin’s assistant recalled, “John invited her to join his group at a gala dinner. Sitting next to him was another woman that Carolyn either mistook as his date or actually was his date.” This confusion left Carolyn unimpressed, but fate would bring them together again soon.

Their next big encounter was at a fundraiser on May 18, 1992. John and Carolyn spent over an hour engrossed in conversation at the bar and never looked away from each other. This marked the beginning of a whirlwind romance.

They had sultry dinners, danced, and took intimate walks in Central Park. John even introduced Carolyn to Sea Song, his Long Island home shared with his cousin, Anthony Radziwill.

However, the budding relationship was not without its challenges, as John and Carolyn were on-again-off-again for years. One notable incident occurred when John gave Carolyn a letter from a friend accusing her of being a social climber.

Shocked and hurt, Carolyn watched as John left the restaurant, leaving her to process the harsh accusations alone. During these trials, John was often seen with other women, including actress Daryl Hannah, a fact well-documented by the press.

Carolyn, aware of the competition, once found a pair of duck boots belonging to John’s ex-girlfriend, Julie Baker, in his apartment. Despite them being a size too small, she wore them, making a statement.

Friends of Carolyn noted how John’s persistence played a crucial role in their evolving relationship. One friend shared that he called all the time. Carolyn reportedly then crafted an answering machine message that made him think she had moved on.

Anyone who wanted to leave a message would hear Carolyn saying, “Hey, hon, I’ll be back by seven o’clock, can’t wait to see you!” The plan worked, and John began calling even more. By the summer of 1995, their relationship had reached a pivotal moment.

During a weekend fishing trip to Martha’s Vineyard, John uniquely proposed to Carolyn. While out on the water, he turned to her and said fishing was so much better with a partner. John then presented Carolyn with a platinum band adorned with diamonds and sapphires.

Her initial response was cautious, as she told John she would think about it. Eventually, Carolyn accepted and began planning one of the most anticipated weddings of the decade.

Their wedding took place on September 21, 1996, on Cumberland Island, Georgia, at the First African Baptist Church. The intimate gathering was a contrast to the grand public spectacles associated with the Kennedy family.

The reception at the Greyfield Inn added to the charm, with the couple surrounded by 40 of their closest friends and family members. Carolyn’s wedding dress became a focal point, forever altering bridal fashion.

It was designed by her friend Narciso Rodriguez and epitomized elegance and simplicity. The bride paired her pearl-colored silk crepe dress with a silk tulle veil and crystal-beaded Manolo Blahnik sandals.

She tied the ensemble together with long white gloves and a bouquet of lilies. Carolyn’s hair was styled into a bun and secured with a clip that once belonged to her mother-in-law, Jacqueline Kennedy, adding a touch of personal history.

Denis Reggie, a veteran Kennedy family photographer, captured touching moments from the special day. He immortalized the moment John kissed Carolyn’s hand as they left the church. “It was an incredibly magical moment. I saw it as it was unfolding, almost in silhouette,” Denis shared.

“It was virtually dark outside. John reached for the hand of Carolyn; she was caught off guard. I’m walking backward in the light rain at dusk, and John does this amazing gesture, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips,” he continued.

In 2023, new details about the wedding emerged in the book “CBK: Caroline Bessette Kennedy: A Life in Fashion” by Sunita Kumar Nair. In the book, hairstylist George Kyriakos revealed that Carolyn was late on her wedding day.

This was due to last-minute alterations to her $40,000 gown, necessitated by weight loss in the days leading up to the event. Wedding guest Sasha Chermayeff, one of John’s best friends, noted that the delay only added to the magic of the ceremony.

After their honeymoon, John and Carolyn returned to life as newlyweds. However, the intense and relentless media attention cast a shadow over their attempts to build a life together.

The couple faced numerous challenges, which became more pronounced in the weeks and days leading up to their tragic death. In a 2024 book titled “JFK Jr: An Intimate Oral Biography” by Rose Marie Terenzio, John’s assistant and close friend shed light on the immense pressures the couple was experiencing.

One significant stressor was the impending death of John’s closest cousin, Anthony, who was battling cancer. John was also struggling to secure new financing for his political magazine, “George.”

Carolyn, on the other hand, grappled with the challenges of living in the global spotlight. John had grown used to media attention throughout his life. However, she found the constant surveillance invasive and terrifying at times.

“They were both very sympathetic to what the other one was going through, but also getting a little impatient. Sort of, ‘When will things be okay at George?'” revealed author Elizabeth Beller.

“‘When will we stop having to have every night be about going out to promote the magazine or look for advertisers?’ And [John] felt like, ‘When are you going to be able to handle the press, because it’s not going to go away?'” she continued.

In response to the mounting pressures, John and Carolyn began attending marriage counseling in the spring of their final year. However, rumors of infidelity further complicated the couple’s efforts to move forward.

John reportedly spent at least one night during his last week alive at the Stanhope Hotel. Rumors had it he was seeing his former girlfriend, Julie Baker. The alleged meet-up occurred near the Upper East Side neighborhood where John, his sister Caroline, and their mother once lived.

Years later, Carolyn’s ex-boyfriend, Calvin Klein model Michael Bergin, claimed in his 2005 book “The Other Man,” that he continued to have a romantic relationship with her during her marriage. This further raised suspicions about the true state of John and Carolyn’s relationship.

The late couple’s marriage also suffered from Carolyn’s lingering resentment of the fact that John had never introduced her to his mother before she died on May 19, 1994.

Carolyn had introduced John to her own mother, which made Jacqueline’s absence even more poignant. “If Carolyn met Jackie, I think he knew that that would sort of become a life of its own. And maybe he wasn’t quite ready for that,” Elizabeth shared.

In a final bid to mend their strained relationship, Carolyn agreed to go with John to his cousin Rory’s wedding in Hyannis Port. The plan involved a stopover at Martha’s Vineyard to drop off Carolyn’s sister, Lauren.

John, an experienced pilot, would then fly his Piper Saratoga plane, which he had bought earlier that spring, to Hyannis Port. On July 16, after a day at the office, John met Lauren at 6 p.m. for the drive to Caldwell Airport in New Jersey. Carolyn arrived separately via car service.

For decades, rumors swirled that Carolyn was late to arrive at the airport because of a spa appointment. However, eyewitnesses clarified that she had left the spa by 5 p.m. and had made a quick stop at Saks to buy a dress for the wedding.

As Carolyn departed, a salesgirl wished her good luck. By the time their plane took off at 8:38 p.m., the sun was setting, and visibility was poor due to worsening weather conditions.

Tragically, John and Carolyn never made it to Hyannis Port. The plane crashed into the waters about seven miles from Martha’s Vineyard, killing them and Lauren on July 16, 1999. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) thoroughly investigated the crash.

Their findings pointed to spatial disorientation as the primary cause. The report concluded that the “probable cause(s) of this accident to be the pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during a descent over water at night. Factors in the accident were haze and the dark night.”

John, who was used to visual flying conditions, struggled with the poor visibility that evening. The hazy night, coupled with his relatively limited experience flying in such conditions, led to a tragic loss of control.

“I know [Carolyn] didn’t want to go to the wedding. I think she had been to so many events, she just needed a break. But the bottom line is, she did end up deciding to go. She went with him. She made that commitment to say, ‘I will go with you,'” Elizabeth revealed.

John and Carolyn’s tragic deaths sent shockwaves across the nation and beyond. It marked a poignant end to the lives of two individuals who had captivated the public with their passionate romance.

In the years following the crash, John and Carolyn’s legacies have been the subject of many books, documentaries, and articles.

Carolyn Bessette was an admired fashion icon during her lifetime and continues to inspire over two decades after her death. Her elegant style and poised demeanor left a lasting impact on the fashion world.

Together with her husband, their love story and tragic end remain etched in public memory. Their legacy of love and passion will forever live on, captivating and inspiring future generations.