Carolyn Bessette's Parents' Lives Were Changed Forever in the Wake of Her Tragic Death

Before Carolyn Bessette and John F. Kennedy Jr., along with Carolyn's sister Lauren Bessette, were killed in a plane crash near Martha's Vineyard, Carolyn Bessette's parents were supportive of the relationship. Afterward, they released a statement praising the love between Carolyn and JFK Jr. But where are Carolyn's parents today, years after the crash that claimed three lives?

JFK Jr. crashed his single-engine plane in July 1999. Carolyn's parents weren't together at the time of the crash, as they had divorced when Carolyn was a child. But they were open about their feelings for the couple and about the tragic deaths following the accident.

Carolyn's parents, Ann Messina Freeman and William Bessette, lived quiet lives in the wake of their daughters' deaths. Neither opted to give full interviews about their losses, and they didn't appear to have kept in touch with the rest of the Kennedy family, even though the family was Ann and William's in-laws when their children got married.

It appears that Ann died in 2007, though, because she and her ex-husband had private lives after their daughters’ deaths, that hasn’t been confirmed. William died in 2014, according to an online obituary.

According to The New York Times, Ann did make efforts to become the administrator of both of her daughters' estates after they died. At the time, a month or so after the crash, the outlet reported that Ann wanted it to be possible for her to file personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits. She later filed and won a wrongful death suit against the Kennedy estate. She was awarded $15 million.

After the crash, Ann and William released a statement, per The Guardian, about the loss.

"John and Carolyn were true soul mates, and we hope to honor them in death in the simple manner in which they chose to live their lives," they said. "We take solace in the thought that together they will comfort Lauren for eternity. We are especially appreciative of the privacy and support provided us by our friends and family and community. Nothing in life is preparation for the loss of a child."

Prior to the crash, according to the book JFK Jr.: An Intimate Oral Biography via People, Ann was against JFK Jr. flying with both of her daughters at once. She reportedly said, "I told him never to take two of my girls up at the same time."

Carolyn's sister Lauren was with her at the time of the crash. JFK Jr. planned to drop her off in Martha's Vineyard and then continue to Hyannis Port, Mass., for a wedding. Carolyn's other sister, Lisa Bessette, was Lauren's twin.

In February 2026, the Daily Mail reported that Lisa was spotted near her home in Ann Arbor, Mich. Like her parents, Lisa has not spoken publicly about Carolyn and Lauren's deaths or Carolyn's relationship with JFK Jr.