Ted Kennedy and Wife Vicki Kennedy: The Love Story

Aug. 26, 2009— -- Sen. Ted Kennedy, who died late Tuesday from brain cancer at the age of 77, said his life was about purpose and passion. His purpose was politics, but he found his passion in his marriage to wife Vicki.

In calm waters and rough seas, Vicki Kennedy, 55, was at her husband's side, anchoring his public and personal life with her trademark smile and strength. She is the woman you've seen in nearly every photo of Ted Kennedy for the past 17 years -- on the dock, on the sailboat, at the speeches and political rallies. And in the final months, in the final hours, Vicki Kennedy was at the senator's bedside.

"She's a great source of that optimism and confidence for him," Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., told ABC News last year. "And no one does a better job of protecting him, standing up for him, giving him good advice, even when he doesn't want to get it."

Vicki Kennedy's devotion to her husband was clear in the e-mail she sent to friends and family when he was diagnosed with brain cancer last year. She brought them up to date on the senator's condition and the "curveball" they'd been dealt, but also gave a sense of her own resilience, including a joke that he was making her crazy.

"Teddy is leading us all, as usual, with his calm approach to getting the best information possible," she wrote. "He's also making me crazy (and making me laugh) by pushing to race in the Figawi [sailing race] this weekend."

The Kennedys issued a statement about the senator's death today, calling him first "a husband."

"We've lost the irreplaceable center of our family and joyous light in our lives, but the inspiration of his faith, optimism, and perseverance will live on in our hearts forever," the statement said.

By all accounts, Vicki Kennedy was at the center of Ted Kennedy's heart; she was his rock, a soul mate he discovered late in life.

"Finding the love of his life … really did supply something that had been missing, and it showed," said Boston Globe political reporter Tom Oliphant.

Visit ABC News' special section on Ted Kennedy.