Presidential Hopeful’s Bizarre Brain Worm Saga

In the world of politics, it’s not unusual for candidates to face scrutiny over their physical health. Third-party candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. found himself in the spotlight for his bizarre health conditions, including a claim of having a dead brain worm. According to the New York Times, Kennedy sought medical attention back in 2010 after experiencing severe cognitive issues that he feared might be a brain tumor. His journey took him to various practitioners, including a brain surgeon at Duke University Medical Center, who happened to have operated on his late uncle, Edward “Ted” Kennedy.

During this tumultuous time, Kennedy received a shocking revelation from one of his neurologists at NewYork-Presbyterian – the dark spot on his brain scans was not a tumor, but rather a “worm that got into my brain and ate a portion of it and then died,” as per Kennedy’s own words during his divorce deposition from his second wife, Mary Richardson Kennedy. Alongside this unsettling discovery, Kennedy was also diagnosed with mercury poisoning, a condition known to cause significant neurological damage, such as memory loss and cognitive impairments.

Kennedy’s mercury poisoning diagnosis shed light on his excessive consumption of mercury-rich foods like tuna and perch during that period. His blood tests revealed mercury levels that were a whopping 10 times higher than the Environmental Protection Agency’s safety threshold. As an environmental lawyer, Kennedy ironically found himself at odds with thimerosal, a preservative containing mercury found in some vaccines. To combat his mercury poisoning, Kennedy underwent chelation therapy to remove heavy metals from his body, which ultimately alleviated his cognitive issues.

While some experts expressed skepticism about Kennedy’s claim of a brain worm causing his health woes, parasitologist Scott Gardner explained that parasites in the brain typically become encased in calcified cells, resembling a permanent tumor rather than causing ongoing cognitive problems. Gardner further highlighted that memory loss is a more common symptom of mercury poisoning rather than parasitic infections in the brain.

Through this health scare, Kennedy’s journey serves as a cautionary tale about the potential risks of mercury exposure and the importance of seeking appropriate medical treatment. Despite the bizarre nature of his health conditions, Kennedy’s resilience in overcoming these challenges underscores the significance of prioritizing health and well-being in the face of adversity.