Anthony Radziwill's Battle with Cancer
Anthony Radziwill (left) and Carole Radziwill (right). Source: Instagram/@caroleradziwill.
Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette explores the courtship and marriage of one of the most iconic couples of the 20th century — John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy. Alongside their story, the series has renewed interest in Kennedy Jr.’s cousin and close confidant, Anthony Radziwill, particularly his long and private battle with cancer.
Who is Anthony Radziwill?
Anthony Radziwill was an American television journalist and producer, as well as a member of the extended Kennedy family. He was the son of Lee Radziwill and the nephew of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
After graduating from Boston University, Radziwill built a career in broadcast journalism. He worked at NBC Sports before joining ABC News. In 1990, he won the Peabody Award for an investigation on the resurgence of Nazism in the United States, reflecting his impact as a journalist beyond his well-known family ties.
Anthony Radziwill’s cancer diagnosis
In 1989, at the age of 29, Radziwill was diagnosed with cancer. He underwent treatment and initially went into remission. However, the disease later returned and he required intensive medical care throughout the 1990s.
Despite multiple surgeries, treatments and hospital stays, Radziwill continued working and kept much of his condition private. In 1994, he married journalist Carole Radziwill, and the couple navigated the challenges of his illness together while maintaining a relatively low public profile.
Anthony Radziwill’s death
Radziwill’s final months coincided with a tragic period for the Kennedy family. In July 1999, his cousin John F. Kennedy Jr., along with Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy and Lauren Bessette, died in a plane crash.
Less than a month later, on August 10, 1999, Anthony Radziwill died in New York at the age of 40 after a prolonged battle with cancer. His death marked the end of a decade-long fight with the disease.