Maria Shriver has led the tributes for her cousin, Tatiana Schlossberg, who sadly passed away aged just 35 on December 30, following a battle with acute myeloid leukemia.
Tatiana — the daughter of Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg, and granddaughter of John F. Kennedy - penned a heartbreaking essay in The New Yorker on November 22, revealing her terminal illness, and her family were with her until her final moments. Maria touched on Tatiana's bravery until the very end in her message - posted on Instagram - and wrote about just how strong her cousin, Caroline, had been.
Alongside several photos of Tatiana throughout the years, including one on her wedding day to husband, George Moran, Maria wrote: "I return to this space today to pay tribute to my sweet, beloved Tatiana, who left this earth today."
She continued: "I return to this space to pay tribute and honor her loving and supportive family, who came together and did everything they possibly could do to help her. I return to this space heartbroken because Tatiana loved life. She loved her life, and she fought like hell to try to save it.
"I cannot make sense of this. I cannot make any sense of it at all. None. Zero."
Maria continued to give an insight into Tatiana's personality: "Tatiana was a great journalist, and she used her words to educate others about the earth and how to save it. She created a beautiful life with her extraordinary husband George, and children Eddie and Josie. She fought like a warrior. She was valiant, strong, courageous."
On her cousin, Caroline, she continued: "My heart has always been with my cousin Caroline ever since we were little kids. My entire being is with her now. What a rock she has been. What a source of love she has been with Ed, Rose, Rory, Jack, George, Eddie, Josie, and all of Tatiana’s cousins and friends and the amazing doctors who tried so hard."
Maria added: "A few weeks ago, Tatiana wrote so beautifully about her diagnosis and her battle with this horrendous disease. If you haven’t read her words, please honor her by doing so (the article is linked in my stories). Her piece is extraordinary. Whatever your faith, please pray for Tatiana and her grieving family. Tatiana was the light, the humor, the joy. She was smart, wicked smart, as they say, and sassy. She was fun, funny loving, caring, a perfect daughter, sister, mother, cousin, niece, friend, all of it…"
Touching on their strong family bond, Maria ended the message by writing: "Those of us left behind will make sure Eddie and Josie know what a beautiful, courageous spirit their mother was and will always be. She takes after her extraordinary mother, Caroline. May we all hold Tatiana's family in our collective embrace not just today, but in the days ahead, and may each of you who read this know how lucky you are to be alive right now. Please pause and honor your life. It truly is such a gift."
The news of Tatiana's passing on December 30 was announced by her family through a statement posted via the JFK Library Foundation. Our beautiful Tatiana passed away this morning. She will always be in our hearts," it read, naming "George, Edwin and Josephine Moran, Ed, Caroline, Jack, Rose and Rory."
In her essay published in November, Tatiana explained that she'd first learned of her illness in May of 2024 after the birth of her daughter, when her doctor noticed an abnormality in her blood count.
Her family were by her side throughout her illness, with her writing: "My parents and my brother and sister, too, have been raising my children and sitting in my various hospital rooms almost every day for the last year and a half."
Shortly after Tatiana's essay was published, her cousin, Kerry Kennedy spoke to us at the Robert F. Kennedy Ripple of Hope Gala at the beginning of December, where she remarked on just how "brave" Tatiana was for coming forward with her diagnosis. "You know, she was so incredibly brave to express herself, and right now we're all holding her in our hearts, and holding Caroline in our hearts," she told HELLO!
Tatiana leaves behind her husband and their two young children, Edwin and Josie.