It wasn’t only Carolyn Bessette and John F. Kennedy Jr. who were tragically killed on July 16, 1999, when their plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. Carolyn's sister, Lauren Bessette, also died in the accident as they were en route to Rory Kennedy’s wedding in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts.
Carolyn's parents, Anna Fremman and William Bessette, welcomed Lauren and her twin sister, Lisa, in November 1964. Carolyn was born two years later. The sisters shared an incredibly close relationship despite Lauren reframing from the spotlight unlike Carolyn.
© GettyIn light of Ryan Murphy's Love Story, the miniseries exploring Carolyn's relationship with John F. Kennedy Jr., HELLO! are taking a closer look at everything we know about her sister, Lauren.
© Sygma via Getty ImagesEducation
Lauren graduated from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, New York and Lisa attended the University of Michigan. Meanwhile, Carolyn studied at Boston University.
© Lawrence SchwartzwaldOccupation
Following her graduation in 1987, Lauren worked for Morgan Stanley as an analyst. She earned an M.B.A. from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1994, she transferred to the company's Hong Kong office and served as vice president.
© Getty ImagesSister bond
In 1998, Lauren returned from Hong Kong to New York and acquired an apartment in Tribeca to be closer to her sister. She was the maid of honor at Carolyn's wedding to John. Elizabeth Beller, author of Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, wrote that Lauren and Lisa "looked out for" their younger sister.
© Ron Galella Collection via GettyDating life
Lauren was in a long-distance relationship with Bobby Shriver when she passed away in 1999. Bobby was based in Los Angeles, serving on the Santa Monica City Council, and was JFK Jr.’s cousin.
© GettyDeath
Lauren was cremated alongside her sister and brother-in-law, with their ashes scattered in the Atlantic Ocean. "John F. Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette were true soul mates, and we hope to honour them in death in the simple manner in which they chose to live their lives. We take solace in the thought that together they will comfort Lauren for eternity," shared the Bessette family at the time.
