“The message was burned into my brain,” she wrote. “‘Maria isn’t enough. Being Eunice’s daughter isn’t enough. Being a Shriver isn’t enough. Being Maria Shriver for double sure just isn’t enough.’”
After many family tragedies, including the assassinations of her uncle JFK in 1963, and her uncle Bobby Kennedy in 1968, Maria shared how her family’s method of grieving left her to deal with the aftermath on her own.
“The world outside stopped cold in its tracks, but no one in my family seemed to stop for one minute,” she recalled. “No one stopped to cry, no one stopped to talk, to grieve, and no one stopped to offer comfort, certainly not to me or my brothers. For me, it was confusing, even terrifying.”
But amid the pressure that came from being from such a storied family, Maria persisted, and went on to establish a life where she could stand on her own. With Arnold, she welcomed kids Katherine Schwarzenegger, 35, Christina Schwarzenegger, 33, Patrick Schwarzenegger, 31 and Christopher Schwarzenegger, 27.
In a poem Maria wrote later in her book, she addresses her children and expresses hope they don’t feel as doubtful about their self-worth as she did growing up.
“And so my child as you embark on this great adventure, Never ever doubt your worth,” she tells them. “Never ever question your value, Never ever lose sight of who you are or where you came from.”
Keep reading for more on Maria’s family tree…
