Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the sister of President John F. Kennedy and mother to California First Lady Maria Shriver, has died. She was 88. Mrs. Kennedy Shriver passed away Tuesday morning at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, she had suffered a series of strokes in recent years, the Associated Press reports. One of nine children born to Rose and Joseph P. Kennedy Sr., Eunice was born in Massachusetts in 1921. A graduate of Stanford University, the achievement she will perhaps be best remembered for was helping to found the national Special Olympics organization, a cause to which she remained committed throughout her life. Kennedy Shriver is survived by her husband of 56 years, Robert Sargent Shriver, five children, and many grandchildren. Upon hearing the news, President Barack Obama issued this statement, saying, "Michelle and I were deeply saddened to learn about the passing of Eunice Kennedy Shriver. Eunice was many things to many people: a mother who inspired her children to serve others; a wife who supported her husband Sargent in the Peace Corps and in politics; and a sister to her siblings, including brothers John, Robert, and Edward. But above all, she will be remembered as the founder of the Special Olympics, as a champion for people with intellectual disabilities, and as an extraordinary woman who, as much as anyone, taught our nation – and our world – that no physical or mental barrier can restrain the power of the human spirit. "Her leadership greatly enriched the lives of Special Olympians throughout the world, who have experienced the pride and joy of competition and achievement thanks to her vision. Our thoughts and prayers are with Sargent; their children Robert, Maria, Timothy, Mark, and Anthony; and the entire Kennedy family."

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