Christopher Lawford's Kennedy and Shriver Family Members Mourn His Death: 'He Was a Fighter'
As many mourn Christopher Lawford‘s death, members of his famous family are paying tribute to former President John F. Kennedy’s nephew, who died of a heart attack on Tuesday at 63.
“God bless you, Christopher. Love you to heaven and back. I miss you already,” cousin Maria Shriver tweeted on Wednesday.
“#ChrisLawford was a fighter. He fought his addiction every day. He fought for his beautiful children,” his cousin Bobby Shriver tweeted. “He visited his friends. He brought his dogs everywhere. A lifelong buddy. He won because he always tried hard. Blessings on his many friends, wonderful sisters and kids.”
Christopher, who was the son of Patricia Kennedy and the British actor Peter Lawford, is survived by his three children, David, Savannah and Matt, according to cousin Patrick Kennedy, who also paid tribute with a heartfelt tweet.
“The recovery community lost a founding father today. My cousin, Chris Lawford, passed away from a heart attack yesterday evening. To the world he was an author, actor, & activist, but to the recovery community he was a pioneer – living proof that long-term recovery was possible,” Patrick wrote.
#Chrislawford was a fighter. He fought his addiction every day. He fought for his beautiful children. He visited his friends. He brought his dogs everywhere. A lifelong buddy. He won because he always tried hard. Blessings on his many friends, wonderful sisters and kids. pic.twitter.com/elS18ClRxA
— Bobby Shriver (@bobbyshriver) September 5, 2018
The recovery community lost a founding father today. My cousin, Chris Lawford, passed away from a heart attack yesterday evening. To the world he was an author, actor, & activist, but to the recovery community he was a pioneer – living proof that long-term recovery was possible. pic.twitter.com/NS9TLZgRlT
— Patrick J. Kennedy (@PJK4brainhealth) September 5, 2018
Lawford had previously opened up about his addiction to LSD, which he said started at age 14 and ended at age 30 when he went to rehab, in his two books, 2006’s Symptoms of Revival: A Memoir of Snapshots and Redemption and 2016’s When Your Partner Has an Addiction: How Compassion Can Transform Your Relationship (And Heal You Both in the Process).
RELATED: John F. Kennedy’s Nephew, Actor Christopher Lawford, Dies at 63
“Chris had lived in long-term recovery since the mid ’80s and helped countless others along the way. In my own struggle to achieve sobriety, he always encouraged me to stay the course, providing love and guidance when I needed it most,” Patrick continued.
Meanwhile, cousin Kerry Kennedy, who is the daughter of Robert F. Kennedy, tweeted, “We mourn the loss of my cousin Christopher Lawford, Rest in Peace,” along with photos of Lawford at the 2004 Democratic Convention with son David.
In addition to being an author and addiction recovery activist, Lawford was best known for his acting career, with TV roles on shows including General Hospital, All My Children and Frasier, as well as film roles such as 2003’s Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.