At a Glance
- Jack Schlossberg campaigned with striking nurses on Jan. 12, two weeks after sister Tatiana died at 35.
- Tatiana’s final New Yorker essay declared “nurses should take over” after her leukemia care.
- Jack told the crowd “nurses should rule the world” and pledged support in his House run.
- Why it matters: The campaign stop shows how Tatiana’s dying plea is shaping her brother’s platform.
Jack Schlossberg stepped back onto the campaign trail Monday, honoring the dying wish of his sister Tatiana by standing with New York nurses in their contract fight.
Rally for Nurses
The 32-year-old Manhattan Democrat joined hundreds of New York State Nurses Association members on strike outside Mount Sinai Hospital. Video he posted to Instagram captures him shouting through a bullhorn:
- “Nurses should rule the world, if you ask me.”
- “Nothing is more important than supporting our nurses.”
- “I’m running for Congress because nurses deserve a fair shot.”
His caption doubled down: “Proud to stand with @nynurses today. Nurses deserve more than our thanks – they deserve a fair contract, safe working conditions and healthcare benefits.”
The appearance came exactly two weeks after Tatiana Schlossberg died Dec. 30 from acute myeloid leukemia at age 35.
Tatiana’s Final Essay
In November, Tatiana published “A Battle with My Blood” in The New Yorker, detailing the cancer discovered after daughter Josephine’s 2024 birth. She spent more than a year at Columbia-Presbyterian, praising the nurses who:
- Brought warm blankets and ignored contraband teakettles.
- Shared gossip, dating stories, and first-Europe-trip memories.
- Held her hand while she vomited and let her toddler sit on the skyway floor.
“I have never encountered a group of people who are more competent, more full of grace and empathy, more willing to serve others than nurses,” she wrote. “Nurses should take over.”
Hours after the essay went live, Jack reposted the opening paragraph to his Instagram Story with the caption “Life is short – let it rip” over a road photo.
Campaign Pause and Funeral
Jack had suspended campaigning after Tatiana’s death. He was among family members at her Jan. 5 funeral at the Church of St. Ignatius Loyola on the Upper East Side – the same church where grandmother Jackie Kennedy was memorialized 32 years earlier. Attendees included:
- Parents Caroline Kennedy and Ed Schlossberg.
- Siblings Rose, 37, and Jack.
- Extended Kennedy clan: Maria Shriver, Kerry Kennedy.
- Public figures: Joe Biden, John Kerry, David Letterman, designer Carolina Herrera, New Yorker editor David Remnick.
Tatiana thanked her family in the essay for “holding my hand unflinchingly while I have suffered,” adding, “This has been a great gift.”
Race for Congress
Jack launched his bid Nov. 11 after veteran Rep. Jerry Nadler announced retirement. The heavily Democratic district covering Manhattan’s West Side and parts of Brooklyn sets up a competitive primary.
By echoing Tatiana’s praise for nurses, he’s turning personal grief into policy focus. “I’m running for Congress because nurses deserve a fair shot,” he told strikers, directly linking his campaign to their contract demands.
Nurses are demanding:
- Higher wages to retain staff.
- Safe staffing ratios.
- Preservation of healthcare benefits.
Jack offered no detailed policy proposals Monday, but his rally presence signals healthcare worker support will be a campaign pillar.
Key Takeaways
- Tatiana Schlossberg’s dying praise for nurses is now a rallying cry for her brother’s House campaign.
- Jack Schlossberg’s first public campaign event since her death centered on the union she celebrated.
- Healthcare staffing and labor rights are poised to become flashpoints in the upcoming primary.
