I really can't imagine what Jackie was going through when JFK was shot.

[Drunken Irishman]

That poor woman. Just an awful, awful moment. I pray we never have to experience anything like it again.

As much as we remember Kennedy, it's hard not to remember Jackie, too, who, like her husband, was far too young when she left us.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

1. I think she was a lifelong smoker. That's how she stayed thin.

So she might have lived longer except for that.

I do respect her greatly for her dignity through that horrendous experience that the whole country was traumatised by. And that she supported the arts & culture. Pablo Casals played at the White House when he was the world's greatest cellist.

[Liberty Belle]

7. Her hairdresser told me he believed the coal tar in her hair dye killed her - she died of a rare

form of cancer most often found in hair dressers. He was so shaken by it he started a line of hair products wtihout all those harmful chemicals. Lamas is the line.

[Warren DeMontague]

2. Anyone who watches that fucking 3 minutes of film... it's horrible.

The fact that she managed to keep her shit together over the following few days as well as she did, is an incredible testament to her resiliency.

[avaistheone1]

3. She was extraordinary as she must have been suffering so much shock and grief.

Jackie was actually quite young at the time of the assassination.

[cilla4progress]

4. I've heard in some of the recent TV specials that

she actually really helped keep America together with her dignity, and sense of purpose. She insisted on keeping on the pink blood-spattered Chanel suit so "they can see what they've done to him." She orchestrated the funeral to recollect something of Abraham Lincoln's funeral. And of course, those 2 young children. How she kept it together for them, one can never know.

I hadn't realized, the assassination was a mere 3 months after she and the President lost their young baby, Patrick, at 39 hours of age!

[OwnedByCats]

6. Yes I was going to say that

only 3 months prior they lost a baby. I can't even begin to imagine what she went through. All I can say is she must have been a very strong woman.

[MADem]

8. Unfortunately, when she married Onassis, a lot of people turned on her.

She wisely didn't give a shit, and kept to her own path.

She was a chain smoker, and she also wore wigs and pieces in the WH--her actual hair was kind of crappy. Her clueless sister in law, Joan, chattily spilled the beans regarding this State Secret, and she got the Big Freeze for opening her mouth.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=888&dat=19630212&id=IbZPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2FIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3678,657683

I suppose it is easier than having to constantly get one's hair done in those sixties styles:

[vankuria]

13. Her kids birthday's

were within days of the assassination I think John-Johns was the day of the funeral and Caroline's a few days after that. With everything going on she still managed to give her kid's birthday celebrations. She was one very strong lady.

[nyquil_man]

5. January 14, 1964 - Jacqueline Kennedy thanks the Nation

[treestar]

10. Wow, never seen that before

Beautiful little speech.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

9. It shocked her so badly, she later said she had no memory of climbing out onto the back of the car

and could not remember why she had done so.

Most speculate she was trying to retrieve the part of the president's head that was blown off.

It's impossible to even begin to comprehend what going through something like that could do do a person.

[ScreamingMeemie]

11. .

When everything happened with my husband, a frozen shock took over. I only remember snippets... something stupid a police officer said to me, wondering if I had left the coffee pot on...all while trying to dig a hole (literally) through the cement flooring so that I could disappear.

The nightmares started a month later.

[cilla4progress]

14. So sorry for your loss!

I can only imagine...

Blessings.

[cilla4progress]

12. I hope she had a measure of happiness in the ensuing years.

Such a tragic family - with other losses to follow. Rose (mater familias) as well.

I was always "glad" Jackie was already gone by the time John Jr. met his untimely death.

Sweet Caroline...