Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Says His Brain Was Partially Eaten by a Worm That Crawled Inside and Died: Everything You Need to Know

Kennedy said he didn’t know where he picked up the parasite, but, per the Times, “he suspected it might have been during a trip through South Asia.”

Is the worm still in there?

It would seem so? Speaking to the Times, Scott Gardner, who works at the Manter Laboratory for Parasitology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said that once a worm gets into the brain, cells harden around it. “And you’re going to basically have almost like a tumor that’s there forever. It’s not going to go anywhere.”

Why was Kennedy talking about this during his divorce proceedings?

According to the Times, “Kennedy was arguing that his earning power had been diminished by his cognitive struggles.” In the deposition, Kennedy said that as a result of the brain-eating worm, “I have cognitive problems, clearly. I have short-term memory loss, and I have longer-term memory loss that affects me.”

Has Kennedy experienced any other health problems?

The Times reported that around the time Kennedy learned of the worm, “he was also diagnosed with mercury poisoning, most likely from ingesting too much fish containing the dangerous heavy metal, which can cause serious neurological issues.” According to Kennedy, bloodwork revealed his mercury levels were 10 times the levels deemed safe by the Environmental Protection Agency. In an interview with the Times, Kennedy attributed the mercury poisoning to his love of tuna. “I loved tuna fish sandwiches,” he said. “I ate them all the time.”

He’s also dealt with other, non-tuna-related health issues. Per the Times:

For decades, Mr. Kennedy suffered from atrial fibrillation, a common heartbeat abnormality that increases the risk of stroke or heart failure. He has been hospitalized at least four times for episodes, although in an interview with the Times this winter, he said he had not had an incident in more than a decade and believed the condition had disappeared.

He also said in the deposition and the interview that he had contracted hepatitis C through intravenous drug use in his youth. He said he had been treated and had no lingering effects from the infection.

Mr. Kennedy has spoken publicly about one other major health condition—spasmodic dysphonia, a neurological disorder that causes his vocal cords to squeeze too close together and explains his hoarse, sometimes strained voice.

Should voters considering casting a ballot for Kennedy be concerned about any of these health issues?

According to his campaign, not in the slightest. Asked about his fitness to serve as president, a spokeswoman for the Kennedy campaign told the Times last week: “That is a hilarious suggestion, given the competition.”