Eunice Kennedy Shriver: 1921-2009

Eunice Kennedy Shriver died at the age of 88 on Tuesday. The mother of Maria Shriver Schwarzenegger and four sons spent the last week in critical condition with an undisclosed ailment. The sister of President John F. Kennedy and Senator Edward Kennedy was the founder of the Special Olympics, which was inspired by her mentally disabled sister, Rosemary. Family members described Eunice in their statement, "She was the light of our lives, a mother, wife, grandmother, sister and aunt who taught us by example and with passion what it means to live a faith-driven life of love and service to others. For each of us, she often seemed to stop time itself -- to run another Special Olympics Games, to visit us in our homes, to attend to her own mother, her sisters and brothers, and to sail, tell stories, and laugh and serve her She set out to change the world and to change us, and she did that and more." Eunice was survived by husband Robert, their five children and 19 grandchildren. She was surrounded by her entire family at the time of her death.