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Mrs. Kennedy's brother-in law, Robert Kennedy, was shot and killed during the Democratic primary campaign (June 1968). She was very close to him. He had played an imprtant role after the Presiden's assasianition in heliping her and the children. She suffered from he same serious depression that she faced after her husbamd's asaination. Mrs Kennedy had serious concerns about noy only her own life and that of her children. Mrs. Kennedy had money, but not the kind of money that could guarantee the serious security she thought they needed. After Robert Kennedy's death, Jacqueline reportedly suffered a relapse of the depression she had suffered in the days following her husband's assassination nearly five years prior. She came to fear for her life and those of her children, saying: "If they're killing Kennedys, then my children are targets ... I want to get out of this country". This was amajor factor in her decision to marry an elderly friend for many years, Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis (October 20, 1968). Onasis at this time was 23 years older than Mrs. Kennedy, but not really elsely. They married on Skorpios, an island Onassis owned in the Ionian Sea. Mrs. Kennedy took the legal name Jacqueline Onassis. The marriage was sharply criticused in the media which began calling her Jackie O. Onasis' money brought her the ability to aford her the security and privay she wanted including financial independence. Mrs. Onassis continued to make sure that the childen had a continued a connection with the Kennedy family. She aranged to have Senator Ted Kennedy visit them often. As a result she developed a closer relationship with Senator Kennedy. Onassis' health began to rapidly decline after his son Alexander was killed in a plane crash (1973). Onassis died of respiratory failure in Paris (1975). He was 69 years old, not that old today. Her inheritance was affected by Greek law which limited how much a non-Greek wifw could inherit. Extended legal wrangling ensued. Christina Onassis—Aristotle's daughter and sole heir finally settled on $26 million.
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