Alleged JFK love-child's mother: He ain't no JFK

Alleged JFK love-child's mother: He ain't no JFK

Posted:
February 29, 2008, 4:53 PM
by
Craig Offman

U.S.

The mother of a man claiming to be the illegitimate son of John F. Kennedy told Vanity Fair magazine that she never met the late president.

For weeks, the allegations made by Jack Worthington, a transplanted Texan living in Vancouver, were the subject of near-breathless speculation. In weeks leading up to a profile in the monthly publication, the well-educated, well-heeled and well-travelled international businessman had told several Canadian newspapers that his mother, Mary Worthington, had confessed to him while her husband was dying that she and the late president had had a tryst.  

Ms. Worthington, who until now was not addressing her son's claim, said in a statement that her son "is the natural born son of Jack R. Worthington, Sr. and Mary Evelyn Worthington. Mary Evelyn Worthington has never had any conversation with Jack R. Worthington, Jr. concerning this subject.” She went on to say that her son's statements are
"unequivocally false and have been fabricated by Jack R. Worthington,
Jr. for reasons unknown to his family."

She also stated that she "has never met John F. Kennedy nor any other member of the Kennedy family. Further, Mary Evelyn Worthington has never met Lyndon B. Johnson."

Mr. Worthington has said that Mr. Johnson, then the U.S. vice-president, had introduced his boss to his mother.

In the Vanity Fair article, which will appear in the April issue, the magazine and Mr. Worthington pursue a DNA test that compared Mr. Worthington's genetics to those of the late president. Though the results weren't definitively conclusive, one scientist said that the data is supporting "non-paternity."

— Craig Offman