Kitty Dukakis, Advocate for Mental Health and Humanitarian Causes, Dies at 88

The wife of former Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis, she was known for her advocacy, public service, and openness about her personal struggles with addiction and depression.

Kitty Dukakis passed away on March 21, 2025, at her home in Brookline, Massachusetts, due to complications from dementia.
She was a prominent advocate for mental health awareness and electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which she credited with transforming her battle against severe depression.
Dukakis played a significant role in advancing women’s leadership in Massachusetts, promoting historic appointments of women to high-ranking state positions during her husband’s governorship.
Her humanitarian efforts included supporting refugee resettlement, Holocaust remembrance, and establishing the Kitty Dukakis Treatment Center for Women to address addiction treatment for underserved populations.
As the first practicing Jew aligned with a major party presidential ticket, she broke barriers in American politics while also openly addressing the personal struggles she faced as a political spouse.