It was New Year’s Eve in 1997. Aspen was buzzing. The air was crisp, the kind of cold that bites your nose but makes the snow perfect for a late-afternoon run. Michael LeMoyne Kennedy, the 39-year-old son of Robert F. Kennedy, was out with the family. They weren't just skiing; they were playing "ski football." It’s a Kennedy tradition—risky, fast-paced, and, as it turned out, incredibly dangerous.
You've probably heard the term "Kennedy Curse" tossed around. Honestly, looking at the Michael Kennedy cause of death, it feels less like a mystical hex and more like a tragic intersection of high speed and a momentary lapse in focus. By 5:50 p.m. that evening, one of the most promising members of the American political dynasty was gone.
The Tragic Details of the Aspen Accident
Michael wasn't a novice. He was a great skier. But that afternoon on Aspen Mountain, specifically on the Copper Bowl intermediate run, things went south fast. The group was using a snow-packed water bottle—some reports say a yellow Nerf ball—as their "football."
Basically, they were tossing the ball back and forth while weaving down the mountain at high speeds. It’s hard enough to stay upright on skis when you're looking where you're going. Try doing it while looking over your shoulder for a pass.
The Impact and Immediate Aftermath
At approximately 4:15 p.m., Michael went out for a pass. He caught the ball. He was looking back, likely grinning, focused on the catch rather than the terrain ahead.
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He never saw the tree.
He hit a large fir tree head-first. The impact was brutal. Because he wasn't wearing a helmet—which wasn't nearly as common in the 90s as it is now—the injuries were catastrophic. His sister, Rory Kennedy, actually tried to give him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation right there on the snow while the rest of the family watched in horror.
Medical personnel arrived within minutes. They stabilized him as best they could and rushed him to Aspen Valley Hospital. But the damage was done. The Michael Kennedy cause of death was officially listed as massive head and neck trauma. Specifically, an autopsy later revealed a three-inch crack in his skull and a severed spinal cord. He likely didn't even know what hit him.
Warnings Ignored: The Human Element
Here is the thing that makes this story so heavy: they were warned. Multiple times.
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The Aspen Ski Patrol had reportedly told the Kennedy clan to stop playing football on skis earlier that week. It’s a liability nightmare for a resort. Even the vice president of the Aspen Skiing Company had supposedly reached out to Ethel Kennedy, Michael’s mother, the night before to ask her to tell the kids to knock it off.
But when you're a Kennedy, you're raised on a diet of competition and grit. Risk is just part of the brand. Michael was actually filming the game with a handheld camera while skiing just moments before he crashed. He was living in the moment, capturing the fun, completely unaware that his life would end in a split second against a trunk of wood.
Why This Specific Case Still Haunts Us
Michael’s death came at a weirdly vulnerable time for him. He was already under a massive cloud of scandal involving an affair with his children’s teenage babysitter. His political career, which many thought would lead to the Governor’s mansion or even the White House, was effectively on life support.
Some people look at the Michael Kennedy cause of death and see a guy who was reckless because he had nothing left to lose. Others see it as a fluke accident that could have happened to any athletic guy pushing the limits.
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What’s certain is that it changed ski safety forever. After this and the death of Sonny Bono just days later in a similar tree-strike accident, the conversation around ski helmets shifted. It stopped being a "pro-only" thing and started becoming the standard for everyone.
Understanding the Risks on the Slopes Today
If we take anything away from Michael’s story, it’s that "intermediate" runs aren't "safe" runs. Copper Bowl wasn't a double-black diamond. It was a groomed trail. But speed and distraction are a lethal combo regardless of the incline.
Lessons from the Tragedy
- Helmets are non-negotiable. The force Michael hit that tree with was enough to crack a skull, but modern MIPS technology in helmets is designed to absorb exactly that kind of rotational impact.
- Peripheral vision matters. If you are looking over your shoulder, you aren't seeing the obstacle 20 feet ahead. At 30 mph, you cover that 20 feet in less than half a second.
- Ski Patrol knows best. Those guys aren't there to ruin your fun. They see the "one in a million" accidents every day. If they tell you an activity is dangerous, it’s because they’ve probably hauled someone off the mountain for doing it.
Michael Kennedy was interred at Holyhood Cemetery in Brookline, Massachusetts. He left behind three children and a family that has seen more than its fair share of hospital waiting rooms and funeral processions. While the "curse" narrative makes for good tabloids, the reality is far simpler and much more human: a guy was playing a game he loved with people he loved, and he just didn't see the tree.
To stay safe on your next trip, ensure your gear is up to date and your focus remains on the path in front of your skis. You can check current helmet safety ratings through the Virginia Tech Helmet Lab to see which models offer the best protection against the type of blunt force trauma seen in Michael's accident.
Next Steps for Safety
If you're heading to the mountains soon, your first step should be a professional tune-up of your bindings. Ensuring your skis release properly during a fall can prevent the kind of "tripping" motion that sends a skier head-first into an obstacle. Additionally, if your helmet is more than five years old, the internal foam has likely degraded; replace it before your first run of the season to ensure you have the best possible protection against head injuries.