Katherine Schwarzeneggeris proud of how her family has come together amid such a terrible tragedy.
Just one day afterSaoirse Kennedy Hillwas laid to rest, following asuspected overdoselast week, Katherine, 29, paid tribute to her family in an emotional and reflective post on Instagram.
Along with a scenic sunset photo of the Kennedy family’s Hyannis Port estate, Katherine praised her relatives for being so “loving, supportive, and strong” and expressed her gratitude to have them all in her life.
“After wiping away the tears, after the beautiful sunsets, there is always a new day,” shecaptioned the shot. “It’s not the big events or pretty things that hold you up at the end of the day, it’s family.”
“I feel so incredibly blessed to be part of such a loving, supportive and strong family that shows up in good times and in tough times,” she added. “I love each and every one of them and am so grateful to have them in my life. 🙏♥️🙏”
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While this was the first time that Katherine personally spoke out about the tragedy, other members of her immediate family were quick to send their condolences shortly after news broke that Saoirse, the only child of Courtney Kennedy Hill and Paul Hill, had sadly died at the age of 22.
Last Friday, Katherine’s mother Maria Shriver, who is the niece ofRobert,JohnandTed Kennedy, shared an Instagram post where shecalled for Saoirse’s deathto serve as a reminder for everyone to be kinder and more compassionate to one another.
“A brave young woman left our world yesterday. She left a gaping hole in the lives of all those who loved her dearly,”she wrotein reference to Saoirse. “May God bless her. May God hold her parents during this unbearable hour and give them the strength to make it thru [sic]. Amen.”
“Life is fragile and heartbreaking. It turns upside down in a minute,” she said. “Love your children, hold them tight. Love your family, hold them close. Love your friends, keep them near.”
“Be gentle with others, as so many are fragile and struggling,” Shriver told her followers. “Actually, I think it’s best to assume everyone is struggling, so treat everyone with love, tenderness, and compassion.”
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Shriver then echoed her thoughts with a note on Twitter. “Today, may you walk out in Love. May you walk out into the world with compassion and tenderness. We all need tenderness and we can all bestow it,” shewrote.
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“They were all there,” a family friend tells PEOPLE of the multigenerational clan, including the Lawfords, Shrivers, and Schwarzeneggers (minus Arnold). “The entire family was there.”
“It’s sort of like a reunion,” the friend added. “It’s such a huge family …. [that] they see each other at funerals and tragedies.”
During the two-day services,Caroline Kennedy, the daughter of the late PresidentJohn F. Kennedy, gave a reading, while Courtney assisted the priest with communion at one point.
Saoirse’s uncle,Robert F. Kennedy Jr.delivered a eulogy, where he describedsome of her final hours: how she spent time with her grandmother Ethel and had gone out with a friend before returning home for a sunrise swim in the Atlantic Ocean.
Her father Paul also said at her funeral, according to someone in attendance, “Saoirse was the love of my life. I loved her to death.”
Saoirse Kennedy
In a statement last week after Saoirse’s death, the Kennedyssaid they were “shattered.”
“The world is a little less beautiful today,” Ethel said of her granddaughter.
Saoirse’s auntKerry Kennedyalso told PEOPLE in a statement, “These last few dayshave been abundant with suffering and love.”
Saoirse’s cause and manner of death — whether it was accidental — is currentlypending a toxicology report.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “home” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please contact the SAMHSA substance abuse helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
source: people.com
