the kennedy's daughter

what actually happened

August 21, 1963

Georgetown Memorial Hospital

6:30 a.m.

Jack took a final breath of fresh air as he walked into Georgetown. After Kate's pace maker was placed she would be in the hospital for quite a while, and Jack would only be leaving for work and sleep occasionally.

It was really early in the morning so Kate was pretty fussy, because she was woken up. But otherwise she was still her happy go lucky self. Of course it helped both Jack and Kate to have Rose and Joe there. Kate absolutely loved her grandma, and adored her grandpa. They could make her smile and laugh through anything, and Jack only hoped that after her surgery that wouldn't change.

At this point they were giving Kate medicine, not exactly to put her to sleep, but to make her as drowsy as possible. Jack held Kate as she drifted in and out of sleep, Rose and Joe standing near by. She was bundled in her purple blanket with her elephant. Just as the nurses were about to take her Jack gripped a little tighter and whispered to Kate

"I know mommy is pretty, but I need you, be strong, I love you katies"

And just as Kate disappeared from Jack's view, a single tear was shed.

"Mr. Kennedy I can take you to your daughter's PICU room if you would like, were you can wait for her"

"Oh yes, please"

As the elevator tinged up all the floors, finally they landed on floor five, the pediatrics floor.

The colors were vibrant and the nurses all had happy smiles on there faces. Jack felt relieved as he saw the place in which his daughter would be staying for at least the next 1-2 weeks.

Then a set of huge doors opened to reveal the part of the floor that was the PICU. He scanned the names on the doors, little boys and little girls. And finally he came to room 7 which read KENNEDY, J referring to Kate's first name, and in that moment he knew things were real. The nurse opened up the door to reveal a bland looking room, and in the center a crib with huge railings that looked like a baby's jail. Honestly Jack hated it. Even Rose and Joe where not impressed, so Jack decided he would make it a little more cheerful especially if his daughter was going to stay in there. He placed Kate's purple blanket and elephant (that where given back to him) on the bed. Then came the pictures of her and Jack plus a picture of Jackie. Rose helped and placed JKK on the crib to represent her full name, and placed her KATE banner on her door. Now the room was ready for Kate, but without a Kate in it.

The three sat in Kate's room for what seemed like forever, Jack pacing around the room, looking out Kate's little window into the hall every couple of minutes. Until the door opened to reveal a very very sickly looking Kate. She, just like Jackie had the tube down her throat, and was on a huge bypass medicine, about 15 times the actual size of Kate herself. Her little brown eyes taped shut, both feet bound with ivs.

Just as everybody finally cleared out, he looked down to see Kate's little white head band at her feet. He carefully picked it up and placed it back on her head, dodging tubes and wires while doing so. The headband gave him hope that under all the tubes and wires was his kate, his little girl.

Her surgery went well, they would be keeping her to activate her pace maker and make sure that it did it's job, pumping the right amount of blood to her heart.

But for now Jack would stay right beside her, and wait till she woke up.

--

10:45 p.m.

Joe and Rose had left hours ago, but of course Jack laid wise awake on the pullout coach, staring at his little girl who hadn't moved a muscle since they brought her back to him.

Just as he closed his eyes to go sleep, he pulled the blanket closer to him as the room got colder. As he realized why, his eyes shot open to once again see his wife standing by Kate's crib.

"Jackie?"

No answer

"Hey, um are you alright?"

"Jack she was so beautiful, I almost kept her all to myself, she wasn't in pain, she ran around playing soccer, she called me mommy, then just like that she was waving goodbye to me and disappeared"

"What?" Jack said sitting up abruptly

"Kate, she found me, she was what looked to be maybe 12-13, she was athletic and looked to love playing soccer, we played together, the she said

"I love you mommy, but daddy needs me"

and she disappeared"

Jack still looked to confused

"JACK TAKE A DAMN HINT OUR GIRL DIED, I'M DEAD SHE SAW ME! PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER"

Out of the corner of Jack's eye he saw Kate's little finger move. He immediately jumped up and ran to his daughter.

"She knows your here" Jack said looking back at Jackie

"Hey Kate, Hey it's daddy" he said holding her hand

"And mommy, I'm here too" Jackie said looking up at Jack

After Kate heard Jackie's low raspy voice her little eyes started twitching.

And just as Jack moved his head back up to look at Jackie,
and he realized

She was gone again.