Even if you feel as though you’ve heard everything to know about the Kennedy family, this video posted by the Well, I Never YouTube channel tells the tragic story of the “hidden” family member whom not many know about: Rosemary Kennedy.
Born on September 13, 1918, Rosemary was the third child of businessman and politician Joseph P. Kennedy and his wife, Rose Elizabeth Fitzgerald.
Rosemary’s birth happened to coincide with the Spanish flu epidemic, and when Rose went into labor in Massachusetts, her doctor was not available, so she attempted to delay things for several hours, upon instruction from her nurse.
When her doctor finally arrived, he delivered Rosemary and told the family that they had delivered a healthy baby girl. As little Rosemary grew older, though, it was evident that her growth and development were delayed, as she was said to have been slower to crawl, walk, and speak.
Her parents consulted specialists, who told her that Rosemary’s condition was likely a result of the oxygen deprivation she suffered during her prolonged birth.
Due to the eugenics movement of that time period, along with their religious beliefs, Rosemary’s parents had her shipped off to several boarding schools in order to keep her disability under wraps.
In 1938, Rosemary and her family relocated to London, England, when her father accepted a new professional endeavour. Rosemary really seemed to thrive in her new environment, as she was enrolled in a Montessori-style school that accommodated her disability.
Her newfound bliss didn’t last for long, though, as a couple of years later she was forced to move back to the United States with her family, and she soon began to experience more seizures and periods of wandering about on her own. It was at this time that her father ordered her to have a prefrontal lobotomy.
What happened to Rosemary after the procedure? Watch the video the find out.
