Rosemary Kennedy (1918 – 2005) was the oldest daughter of Joseph P. and Rose Kennedy. Rosemary was born with intellectual disabilities and was known to have talents in many areas, especially sports. One of her most frequent companions was her sister, Eunice Kennedy, who was three years younger. Rosemary was one of the inspirations for Eunice's interest in creating a better world for people with intellectual disabilities. Rosemary grew up during a time when people did not talk about intellectual disabilities. When Eunice wrote a 1962 article in the Saturday Evening Post about Rosemary and the Kennedy family's struggles finding her proper care, it became known as a "watershed" event in changing public attitudes toward people with intellectual disabilities.
Eunice and Rosemary
The relationship between Eunice Kennedy Shriver and her sister Rosemary Kennedy was the root of the entire Special Olympics movement.