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John F. Kennedy Jr. and Daryl Hannah's relationship was a tumultuous saga marked by intense passion and eventual heartbreak. Their story began on the picturesque Caribbean island of St. Martin, where they first met as teenagers. It wasn't until 1989, thanks to Hannah's politically connected stepfather, businessman Jerrold Wexler, that they were reintroduced, reigniting a spark that would flicker through the early 1990s.
At the time of their reintroduction, both were entwined in other relationships—Kennedy with actress Christina Haag and Hannah with singer Jackson Browne. Despite these commitments, they began seeing each other, a development chronicled in the newly released "JFK Jr.: An Intimate Oral Biography."
Their early relationship was characterized by a blend of romantic allure and personal complications, a dynamic that foreshadowed the difficulties they would later face.
A friend of Kennedy recounted in the book that in 1993, tensions were high between Hannah and Jackie Onassis, Kennedy's mother. Kennedy admitted to fighting with Hannah, stating, "She's not getting along with my mother, and so I'm living in the basement of one of my friend's places now." This strained relationship with his mother placed additional pressure on their union.
Hannah, described as a "sweetheart" but "needy" by Kennedy's friends, seemed to struggle with the demands of their high-profile relationship. One friend noted that the couple lacked a "spark," adding, "You never saw them look each other in the eye, you know, lovingly. Ultimately, they didn't see eye to eye on much." This lack of mutual understanding and connection further eroded their relationship.
The pivotal moment that precipitated their breakup occurred in May 1994. During a walk in Central Park, Kennedy lost control of Hannah's dog, resulting in the animal being hit by a car. Deeply affected by the accident, Kennedy was tasked with transporting the dog's ashes to Los Angeles for a funeral organized by Hannah. However, choosing the container for the ashes—a box that did not meet Hannah's expectations—added another layer of discord.
While Kennedy was in Los Angeles, his mother Jackie's health dramatically declined in New York. Diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma five months earlier, Jackie's condition took a turn for the worse, and she passed away shortly after.
A friend of Kennedy recounted in the book how deeply resentful he felt, believing that Hannah had "dragged him out there to attend a funeral for her dog when his mother was dying of cancer."
Carole Radziwill, married to Kennedy's cousin Anthony Radziwill, shared a poignant recollection of a meal with Kennedy that Sunday night. She described him as furious, feeling that Hannah had punished him by insisting he fly to Los Angeles during such a critical time. Radziwill reflected, "It was just a terrible time and a bad omen."
The culmination of these events—Jackie Onassis's death and the death of Hannah's dog—marked the end of their relationship.