Inside The Final Months Of JFK Jr.’s Life
By WILLIAM FISCHER
History
THE MAGAZINE
John F. Kennedy Jr. was the editor of George magazine. Despite its early success, critics shared rumors of incompetence and tension between Kennedy and his partner.
In Kennedy’s final months, George was reportedly projected to lose $10 million for the year. Determined to keep it afloat, Kennedy was seeking a new publisher before his death.
suffering marriage
In September 1996, Kennedy married fashion publicist Carolyn Bessette, who came into her marriage unprepared for the scrutiny the Kennedy family was subject to.
Bessette also resented the magazine's demands on her husband's time and how their hectic and heavily scrutinized life put off their ability to have children.
possible divorce
An anonymous friend said Kennedy and Bessette were barely speaking by the end, and that Kennedy talked about divorce just two days before his death.
Nameless sources said Bessette was controlling, antagonistic, used cocaine, and got physically violent with Kennedy, but other friends went on the record to dispute those claims.
BEST FRIEND & COUSIN
Related through their mothers, Kennedy's cousin and best friend was Anthony Radziwill. In 1994, Radziwill was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
Knowing Radziwill wouldn’t survive, Kennedy was working on his eulogy for him when he died. Anthony Radziwill died on August 10, 1999, just a month after his cousin.
A BROKEN ANKLE
Six weeks before his death, adventurous Kennedy was hang gliding and broke his ankle. It wasn’t fully healed when he had his cast removed on July 15, 1999.
At the time, Kennedy was a newly licensed pilot, and some speculated that the unhealed injury contributed to his fatal plane crash, though a fellow pilot did dispute that theory.