✦Christopher Kennedy Lawford
Biography
Early Life and Addiction
Christopher Kennedy Lawford was born on March 29, 1955, in Santa Monica, California, the eldest child of Patricia Kennedy Lawford and actor Peter Lawford. Growing up at the intersection of Hollywood celebrity and Kennedy political royalty, his young adulthood was consumed by a severe addiction to heroin and other drugs. He attended Tufts University and Boston College Law School but cycled through addiction and relapse for years. His 2004 memoir, Symptoms of Withdrawal, chronicled his addicted years against the backdrop of his famous family with considerable candor.
Recovery Advocacy and Death
After achieving sobriety, Lawford built a modest acting career and became one of the most prominent addiction recovery advocates in the United States. He testified before Congress, worked with the United Nations on global addiction treatment policy, and received a UN citation for his advocacy efforts. He authored Recover to Live (2013) and traveled extensively speaking about addiction as a disease rather than a moral failure.
On September 4, 2018, Lawford suffered a fatal cardiac arrest while scuba diving near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He was 63 years old. His legacy in the addiction recovery community outlasts the celebrity of his birth.
Family Context
Christopher Kennedy Lawford is the late child of Patricia Kennedy Lawford and Peter Lawford. They married Jeannie Olsson (m. 1984, div. ~2000) and had 3 children: David Christopher Kennedy Lawford, Savannah Rose Lawford, Matthew Peter Valentine Lawford.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did Christopher Lawford die?
Christopher Lawford died of cardiac arrest on September 4, 2018, while scuba diving near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He was 63 years old.
What is Christopher Lawford's memoir about?
Symptoms of Withdrawal (2004) is Christopher Lawford's memoir recounting his years of heroin and drug addiction, set against the backdrop of his childhood in the Kennedy and Lawford families. The book charts his path to long-term recovery and was widely praised for its honesty.