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An outspoken progressivist, one of the longest serving senators in history, and a member of what's considered by many to be America's royal family, Senator Ted Kennedy continued to serve in public office after the deaths of his brothers, President John F. Kennedy and Attorney General Robert Kennedy. Serving in Congress for 47 years, Kennedy acted as Senate Majority Whip, chaired many vital committees and distinguished himself by writing over 300 bills that were enacted into law, spearheading legislation regarding health care, civil rights, and education. Kennedy would remain fiercely active, even after he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 2008, living up to his nickname as the "Lion of the Senate" until his death in 2009 at the age of 77.