Maria Shriver shared a heartfelt tribute following the death of her cousin Tatiana Schlossberg, who died on Dec. 30 at age 35 after a battle with acute myeloid leukemia.
“I return to this space today to pay tribute to my sweet, beloved Tatiana, who left this earth today,” Shriver wrote in an Instagram post on Tuesday, accompanied by photos of her cousin. She praised Schlossberg’s family for their unwavering support and expressed her grief at the loss of someone who, she said, “loved life” and “fought like hell to try to save it.”
“I cannot make sense of this. I cannot make any sense of it at all,” Shriver added. “None. Zero.”
Shriver went on to honor Schlossberg’s work and spirit, calling her a gifted journalist who used her voice to educate others about the environment and how to protect the planet. She also reflected on the life Schlossberg built with her husband, George Moran, and their children, Eddie and Josie, describing her as “valiant, strong, courageous.”
She offered special praise for Schlossberg’s mother, Caroline Kennedy, calling her “a rock” and a constant source of love for the entire family, including Schlossberg’s siblings, children, cousins, and close friends, as well as the doctors who cared for her.
Shriver, the daughter of Eunice Kennedy Shriver and Sargent Shriver, was a first cousin once removed of Schlossberg, who died following her fight with leukemia.
Schlossberg’s family confirmed her death in a social media post shared by the JFK Library Foundation. “Our beautiful Tatiana passed away this morning. She will always be in our hearts,” the message read. It was signed by her husband, children, parents, siblings, and extended family.
An accomplished environmental journalist, Schlossberg was the daughter of Caroline Kennedy and Edwin Schlossberg and the granddaughter of President John F. Kennedy. She was married to Moran and was the mother of two children.
In an essay published by The New Yorker in November, Schlossberg revealed that she was diagnosed with cancer shortly after the birth of her daughter Josephine in 2024. She described feeling healthy at the time, even swimming a mile while nine months pregnant, before learning of her diagnosis.
In her Instagram message, Shriver encouraged her followers to read Schlossberg’s essay, calling it extraordinary. She wrote that those left behind would ensure Eddie and Josie grow up knowing the “beautiful, courageous spirit” their mother embodied, and urged readers to pause and appreciate the gift of life.
Schlossberg spent several years covering science and climate issues for The New York Times and previously worked at The Record in New Jersey. She also authored the 2019 book Inconspicuous Consumption, which explored climate change and environmental responsibility.
Shriver, a journalist and former First Lady of California during her marriage to Arnold Schwarzenegger, is the first cousin of Caroline Kennedy. Her mother, Eunice Kennedy Shriver, was the younger sister of President John F. Kennedy.
