
In a recent interview with The New York Times, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. disclosed a health ordeal he faced a decade ago, detailing memory loss and mental fog that prompted medical investigations in 2010. Kennedy, in a 2012 deposition related to his divorce proceedings, asserted that doctors initially suspected a brain tumor upon observing a dark spot in his brain scans. However, Kennedy’s revelation took a bizarre turn when he claimed another physician suggested the anomaly was caused by a parasite, likening it to “a worm that got into my brain and ate a portion of it and then died.”
Kennedy, 70, recounted his recovery from the cognitive symptoms without requiring treatment for the alleged parasite. Medical experts speculated that a cyst detected in his brain scans might have contained remnants of the parasite, although Kennedy admitted to being unaware of the specific type.
The health disclosures emerged during Kennedy’s divorce proceedings with his second wife, Mary Richardson Kennedy, who tragically passed away before the divorce was finalized.
Additionally, Kennedy disclosed receiving a diagnosis of mercury poisoning around the same time as the parasite revelation, attributing it to a diet rich in fish with elevated mercury levels.
Despite his health challenges, Kennedy remains steadfast in his presidential aspirations, expressing confidence in his ability to compete against President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump in the 2024 race — joking that he would “offer to eat 5 more brain worms and still beat President Trump and President Biden in a debate.”
I feel confident of the result even with a six-worm handicap.
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) May 8, 2024
His campaign spokeswoman, Stefanie Spear, dismissed concerns about his fitness for presidency, labeling them as “hilarious” given the competitive landscape.
Kennedy’s candidacy as an independent contender introduces a dynamic element to the upcoming election, presenting a challenge to the incumbent President Biden and his predecessor, former President Trump, both of whom are also in their 70s.