Patrick Bouvier Kennedy was the last child of American President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy. Patrick was born prematurely and he lived for just 39 hours, due to the consequences of infant respiratory distress syndrome. Between the time of his birth and death, a valiant effort was made by medical professionals, to try and save his life. This attempt included a hasty transfer to a hospital located more than 100 kilometers away, the use of one of the most cutting-edge medical technologies at the time, and a very tense President, waiting outside the room where the doctors were treating the child. This dramatic sequence of events, many of which were reported by the national media, riveted a nation, as Americans waited with suspended breath, hoping for the child to recover. The fact that Jacqueline had suffered a miscarriage and a stillbirth in the past served as added emotional baggage for the country. However, even though the attempts to save Patrick’s life, and his death, became part of the American psyche, the assassination of his father, just three months after his death, would wound the nation further.
