Kerry Kennedy (Robert Kalfus)
Larry David (
)
A celebrity-packed crowd of mourners gathered last night to remember the life of Mary Richardson Kennedy at a wake inside the Westchester estate where she killed herself Wednesday.
Though he was estranged from his wife, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., recalled her fondly as he accepted condolences from a crowd that included Gov. Cuomo, tennis great John McEnroe, TV funnyman Larry David, actor Edward James Olmos, actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus and comedienne Chelsea Handler.
“She was special. We’re all going to miss her,” Robert Kennedy said at one point. “It’s going to be difficult for a while now.”
Despite the sense of loss, some mourners felt the troubled, alcohol-abusing Mary was long headed toward a tragic end.
“This was a matter of time,” one woman at the gathering said within earshot of a reporter. “You know, after a certain point there was nothing that could be done.”
There was also support for Robert Kennedy in his dispute with Mary’s family — who blame him for driving the 52-year-old to her untimely end.
“They are blaming Bobby for everything,” said one mourner.
Another exclaimed: “Give me a break. She brought a lot of these issues into the situation.”
Tight security hired by Robert watched over the wake, along with a heavy police presence. Some mourners took shuttle buses to the Mount Kisco mansion.
Among the family members at the wake were Mary’s sister-in-law and childhood friend, Kerry Kennedy, and her mother-in-law, 84-year-old family matriarch Ethel Kennedy.
“We just feel helpless right now,” said Kerry.
As mourners gazed at some 100 photos of Mary in happier times, their four children seemed overwhelmed by the crowd.
At one point, two of the kids slipped away with their arms entwined to gaze at photos of their mother.
Mary’s siblings did not appear to be at the wake.
Additional reporting by Jennifer Bain