Massachusetts Representative Jim McGovern said Thursday that his 23-year-old daughter Molly McGovern died “unexpectedly in Italy while visiting a good friend and his family.”
In a statement, the Worcester Democrat; his wife, Lisa McGovern; and their son, Patrick McGovern, said that Molly had faced a “rare cancer diagnosis,” but did so “with relentless courage, optimism, and tenacity — refusing to let her illness slow her down.”
“Molly radiated pure joy. She lit up every room with her beaming smile — full of laughter, endless warmth, and a sharp wit that could disarm you in an instant,” the McGovern family said in their statement.
“She was unbelievably funny, fiercely loyal, and wise beyond her years. Molly had a rare gift: She made everyone feel special, because she genuinely believed everyone was special,” they continued, adding that her “love for the Boston Bruins was fierce, but it was no match for the love she gave so freely to her family and friends.”
“Molly will always be the soul of our family. We are so proud of her, and so glad that so many people were touched by her incredible life. We love you, Molly. We miss you already.”
Molly McGovern was a student at Northeastern University studying political science and government, and was set to graduate this year, according to her LinkedIn profile. She had been politically active during her college years, including volunteering in Maryland Representative Jamie Raskin’s office in 2022 and later interning at the Dewey Square Group, a political consulting and public affairs organization. Last year, she worked as a sports museum ambassador at TD Garden. Her family said she had recently spent a semester abroad in Australia.
It was unclear what the immediate cause of her death on Wednesday was. She was diagnosed with pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma in 2019 and had been undergoing treatment since.
Messages of support poured in shortly after the McGovern family released their statement, as other Massachusetts elected officials and McGovern’s colleagues in Congress nationwide shared their condolences.
“The world is a poorer place today than it was yesterday as we wake up to the hard reality of life without Molly McGovern,” Raskin wrote in a statement. “Everyone in our family adored Molly and we were all inspired by her love for animals, her passion for sports, and her ebullient compassion and care for friends, family, and strangers.”
Governor Maura Healey said in a statement she was “heartbroken for the McGovern family over the loss of their beloved Molly.”
“Molly was a light in her family’s lives and the lives of so many. She was a kind, smart and compassionate young woman who touched the lives of many,” she said. “We are all feeling the sadness of her being taken too soon.”
Representative Katherine Clark, who serves as House minority whip, also offered her thoughts and prayers to the McGovern family.
“I can imagine no greater pain as a parent than losing a child,” Clark wrote. “Molly was an incredible source of light and love in their lives and cherished in our congressional family.”
“The world lost a bright light today. Molly McGovern was a sweet, loving, smart, funny and caring person,” Steve Kerrigan, chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party, said in a statement. “She was a gift to all who knew her. She fought hard against a rare form of cancer, but never lost her joy, sense of adventure or optimism.”
Worcester Mayor Joe Petty, who oversees the town Jim McGovern is from and represents, wrote on social media that Molly McGovern “was an extraordinary young woman, full of life, tenacity, and just the right touch of mischief.”
“Whether it was with a warm greeting, a quick-witted remark, or a moment of shared laughter,” Petty said, “she had a way of lighting up every room she entered.”
Anjali Huynh can be reached at anjali.huynh@globe.com. Alyssa Vega can be reached at alyssa.vega@globe.com.
