BROOKLINE, Mass. — Kitty Dukakis, the wife of former Massachusetts governor and Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis, has passed away at the age of 88. Known for her candid discussions about her struggles with depression and addiction, her life was a testament to resilience.
She died on Friday evening, surrounded by family, as confirmed by her son, John Dukakis, in a phone call on Saturday. The Dukakis family released a heartfelt statement highlighting Kitty’s commitment to making the world a better place by openly sharing her vulnerabilities to support others in facing theirs.
“She was loving, spirited, and joyful, with a remarkable sensitivity to individuals from all backgrounds,” her family reflected. “Her bond with our father, Michael Dukakis, was extraordinary, marked by over 60 years of deep love and partnership.”
Kitty gained prominence during her husband’s presidential campaign in 1988, where her tireless efforts on the campaign trail were crucial to his candidacy.
One significant moment during the campaign occurred in a presidential debate when a question was posed to Michael Dukakis about whether he would support an irrevocable death penalty if Kitty were harmed. His response, which lacked emotional fervor, drew considerable criticism.
Earlier in the campaign, in 1987, Kitty disclosed her battle with a 26-year addiction to amphetamines, which had begun at the age of 19. She sought treatment and had been sober for five years at the time of her revelation.
With her husband advocating for anti-drug policies, Kitty became a passionate advocate for educating young people about the dangers of substance abuse.
However, just months after Michael’s presidential defeat to Vice President George H.W. Bush, Kitty entered a 60-day alcohol rehabilitation program. Unfortunately, she later faced a relapse that led to hospitalization after consuming rubbing alcohol.
In her 1990 autobiography, “Now You Know,” she attributed her struggles with addiction to her upbringing and a prolonged battle with low self-esteem. In 2006, she published another book, “Shock,” where she credited electroconvulsive therapy, which she began in 2001, for significantly alleviating her long-standing depression, describing the treatment as opening a “new reality” for her.
Current Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey praised Dukakis as “a force for good in both public and private life,” emphasizing her leadership in ensuring the memory of the Holocaust remains alive and her advocacy for children, women, and refugees.
“Kitty spoke courageously about her experiences with substance use and mental health, encouraging everyone to break the stigma and seek help,” Healey noted in a statement.
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell echoed these sentiments, stating that Dukakis transformed her personal challenges into a beacon of strength for others.
“Her legacy will live on through the policies she helped shape and the individuals she inspired to share their own stories,” Campbell added.
Kitty was a trailblazer for openly discussing her struggles and advocating for the homeless and political refugees, remarked Maria Ivanova, director of Northeastern University’s Policy School, which houses the Kitty and Michael Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy.
“Kitty Dukakis brought honesty, empathy, and resilience to public life,” Ivanova stated. “Her legacy embodies service, strength, and truth.”
Kitty first met Michael while they were both high school students in Brookline, Massachusetts, a Boston suburb. Their personalities complemented each other—she was vibrant and expressive, while he was more reserved and practical. Their diverse backgrounds—she from a Jewish family and he from Greek Orthodoxy—brought a unique dynamic to their relationship.
After a previous marriage and raising a young son, Kitty married Michael Dukakis in 1963, and the couple welcomed two daughters, Andrea and Kara.
The daughter of Harry Ellis Dickson, a former associate conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Kitty earned degrees in modern dance and broadcasting.
Following the presidential election in 1989, President Bush appointed her to serve on the United States Holocaust Memorial Council.
Kitty had also been involved in the President’s Commission on the Holocaust back in 1979 and served on the board of directors for the Refugee Policy Group, in addition to contributing to the Task Force on Cambodian Children.
By the late 1990s, Kitty and her husband divided their time between Massachusetts and California, where she worked as a social worker while he taught at UCLA.
—Former Associated Press writer Lisa Flam contributed to this report.
