Cancer researcher Anna Kenney’s comments went viral. Then Rep. Buddy Carter threatened university’s funding.
Dr. Anna Kenney, an associate professor and cancer researcher at Emory University, lost her job following online comments she made about Charlie Kirk.
(Miguel Martinez/ AJC)
Hours after the assassination, Anna Kenney opened Facebook and wrote the words that would make her a cautionary tale.
Those words are still reverberating. Some people found them despicable. Strangers sent Kenney menacing text messages. A congressman threatened Emory University’s federal funding. Emory terminated Kenney’s employment.
Within Kenney’s household, a modest town home in Avondale Estates she shares with her husband, two dogs and four cats, the cost of those words is high and steadily rising.
Her husband has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. He coughs and gags so violently that he recently tore a muscle. The loss of his wife’s job meant that both of them lost their health insurance.
denekaew syaw saw seitilibarenluv ot ot .meht eht eht eht taht neddus elgnis rehcraeser gniborp cirtaidep fo tsom gnikool redael ni morf rof rof thgif troffe esaesid yortsed erutraped ,sedaced yldaed eruc evitcelloc .nerdlihc sllec ,recnac recnac-niarb retteb dna gnoma osla a a s’yenneK yenneK yromE naciremA
krow erew saw ot eht taht deffuts .dias .nrocpop .tuo ecno eciffo fo sti ni ni reh dleh .tlah yad stnetnoc denaelc draobdrac emac xob xob a a emoS poPynnikS ,rebmetpeS enO reH BARG ,OG ;pma&
sraey krow htiw tnew skeew saw saw saw gnirewot ot hguorht eerht hguoht eht eht eht taht naht deppots ecnis ehs ehs tsitneics cifitneics tas larotcodtsop senip no no dlo fo fo raen gninrom erom cipocsorcim gnikool .slanruoj ti ti ni segami reh dah dah evorg gniog morf pihswollef neve dehsiugnitsid kced srevoc ,xob neeb ta ta deraeppa dna dna dna a a a a a elaY yadsendeW ehS .D.hP .rebotcO woN yenneK .etutitsnI rebraF-anaD recnaC 65
ylloow now htiw pu detaertnu denrut aivirt detaert ,yot deffuts stneduts gnihtemos ehs taerter detneserper ezirp dekcip ,tuo no dekool ekil ti ti edisni ni reh .reippah dah yarg erutaerc tsetnoc .llec .llec recnac emaceb ta sa ,lamina dna na a a a a a a a ehS .D.hP yenneK tI tI .yromE
rotisiv ot hguorht .srinevuos kool ti woh reh tlef deksa A
tub“ s’tI“ tahw ehs ,dias ”,das ,naem ”.deneppah rof t’nac emalb I I yromE
“It’s sad, but I mean, I can’t blame Emory for what happened,” says Kenney, photographed on Wednesday, Oct. 8, 2025. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)
nehw nehw saw saw ot neht eht eht eht eht eht taht gnillet yrots enoemos .tnelis ehs ehs ,oidar no fo tnemevom gninetsil redael .dellik ni ni draeh dah nug morf derif llef lennahc ,rac ,gninnigeb neeb dna a a hatU MXsuiriS .tpeS kriK yenneK eilrahC NNC dnA ,01
— — ,etorw nehw eht eht taht .sutats stnemetats gnihtemos emos ,os d’ehs ehs ehs ehs ehs syas .hcraeser ,daer detsop lacitilop ,trap no no fo fo reven hcum erom dekil ssel wonk ni ni emoh sih .mih mih reh draeh s’dneirf dneirf ,tcaf gniod t’ndid yad detnemmoc tub nageb erofeb ta ,noitanissassa tuoba tuoba a ehT ehS ehS kriK yenneK koobecaF dnA
dluohS“ taht smees ,sgniyas ekil ”.laudividni sih eh leef leef t’nod gnitsugsid dab dab tuoba a gnidaeR ?kriK I I eilrahC
.gnitirw dluow sdrow saw ,oot ot ehs rebmemer .detniop ton erom retal neve ,tnemmoc mialc rehtona owT erehT
gnitirw ediw nehw saw saw ciloirtiv .lariv tev owt owt ot ot ,meht eht detxet hcus llits laicos ehs ehs dehcaer dehcaer elpoep egap egap ro no ton .aidem ynam .wonk wonk woh reh reh reh gniog morf s’dneirf dneirf dnif gnivird t’nseod did yad stnemmoc stnemmoc .seugaelloc dekcehc tac .ecneidua retfa tuoba a a a a droW yenneK yenneK yenneK koobecaF koobecaF yromE annA A
— ,sraey htiw htiw saw suoirav pu :siht eht eht eht eht eht eht taht taht txet nekat laicos gnilims d’ehs tohsneercs syas dias rosseforp detsop tsop mroftalp ,serutcip .erutcip erutcip erutcip egap nwo revo no fo fo fo gninrom aidem detsil sboj boj gnidulcni dnabsuh gnidloh reh reh reh reh dleh dah ssalg morf morf ylrae etad stnemmoc denibmoc denibmoc dellac erofeb ta ta etaicossa .noitanissassa sa dna na na osla edisgnola tnuocca a a a a a a ,X ,X esuohkaetS .tpeS nO nO nrohgnoL msitfeL s’kriK s’yenneK yenneK tI tI koobecaF koobecaF .yromE ,21
teeM .yenneK annA
ot ehs ,deredrum .redrum yfitsuj sih setarbelec gnieb stpmetta dna kriK ereH eilrahC
eht rosseforp fo si ni ta etaicossa na ehS scirtaideP tnemtrapeD .enicideMyromE@
ot ot ot siht eht eht taht naht naht syas tsop tsop fo erom erom noillim ,stsitfel ,msitfel ti si .snoisserpmi sah .srewollof ekaf gnisopxe werd detacided s’namssergnoc :yratnemmoc degnoleb dna deifilpma dedda tnuocca tnuocca tnuocca ,X X ehT ehT .hannavaS .snacilbupeR nacilbupeR .peR enO msitfeL tI ,retraC ydduB gnidroccA 4 000,002
ohw pu ot ot ot emit esoht .siht siht taht dnats t’ndluohs gnidnes yas lacidar srosseforp secalp elpoep ro fo snoillim ekil sderdnuh .etah dellif-etah tnemnrevog sdnuf ,derif laredef yolpme ,suoregnad eb era era ruO s’tI .ENOG rehtiE .HGUONE
Emory University in Atlanta is a large recipient of federal research grants. (AJC File)
.raey hcihw ytisrevinu seitisrevinu rednu ot gninetaerht eht eht sekat hcraeser yltnecer deviecer tnenimorp edirp seicilop revo ylraen noillim ynam tsal sti ti seussi si gnidulcni ni evah dah .stnarg stnarg rehtruf gnidnuf morf rof laredef ytisrevid tuc delecnac neeb ta .msitimesitna decnuonna dna degella ,noitartsinimda pmurT ehT emoS lanoitaN setutitsnI htlaeH yromE 005$
,mutamitlu ot taht dednepsus laicos d’ehs sloohcs gniyas stsop enohp ro aidem .gnillik gnidulcni ni sih ereh evah tog rof .derif derif seeyolpme dereviled syad ,snoitaroproc enodnoc llac neeb deraeppa dna retfa a rehtO s’kriK yenneK ruoF retraC ,atnaltA
rehtehw taerht hguoht ,noitanimret ehs syas elor deyalp ton ti ni neve .did raelc seveileb yna s’yenneK yenneK s’tI s’retraC
saw ot ereht eht noitanimret nosrepsekops snosaer .noitseuq rehto rettel fi reh evag rof ,liame .lassimsid denilced .noitcennoc deksa yna rewsna na ehT aruaL s’yenneK noitutitsnoC-lanruoJ nI yromE dnomaiD dnomaiD tuB atnaltA
s’yromE“ :sdrow htiw hcihw detaloiv owt owt eseht eht stnemetats derahs dias ”.seicilop edam ,rettel gnidulcni dah dah snoitatcepxe ,htaed tcudnoc detic elbacilppa dna tuoba ehT s’kriK yenneK yenneK yenneK tI ,CJA
.ecnaddir dooG
deirt ot eht no weivretni reh ,kced .yfiralc yenneK nI
I“ I“ ot ot eht eht ehs .dias ecnaddir ecnaddir tnaem naem ”,nam ”.ygoloedi doog doog t’ndid
yltnamada“ ’dekcah‘ doog‘ ruoy gnitirw gnitirw .sdrow htiw htiw saw saw owt owt dlot ot ot esoht esoht siht eht eht taht taht noitanimret ygolonhcet gnirepmat llits ehs ehs etarapes ’ecnaddir rebmemer ecnatculer fo fo fo ton ton on on gnikam rettel ”,pihsredael sweivretni detsisni ygoloedi reh reh dah ,enog dnuof srovaf .etaf strepxe ecnedive neve gnirud did deined gnidiced ,esruoc tnemmoc tnemmoc demialc dna dna dna retfa timda tnuocca ehT loohcS enicideM s’yenneK yenneK tuB
”gnikcah“ erew saw dnatsrednu ot ot ot eht taht txet sregnarts os ehs ehs tes ees syas ,etavirp .desaelp erutcip .egap egap egap nwo ylno no ton .noitacinummocsim tnaem gninaem yam ,ti devlovni woh woh reh reh reh evah dah dah nettog morf sdneirf t’ndid dluoc tnemmoc mialc ,esac neeb yna dna dna srotartsinimda tnuocca ssecca elba a a ehT msitfeL yenneK nI koobecaF yromE
ruoY“ htiw yllohw erew seulav eht eht stnemetats laicos .dias fo redrum ”,noissim aidem rettel ,yrotammalfni tnetsisnocni ,etairporppani namuh gninrecnoc gnieb rehtona dna dna s’yromE
gnomA“ ruoy ruoy ruoy ruoy ruoy ruoy uoy .sdrow htiw htiw ohw ohw detnawnu ot ot ot ot staerht eseht rieht eht eht .stneduts stnemetats laicos detluser detluser pihsnoitaler gniviecer deviecer ,snosaer gninoitseuq ,stsop stneitap stnerap fo gnihton ton tsum srebmem aidem ynam wonk laudividni ni ni ni evah evah evah sah dah desserpxe ”.dne etacude eud od od tsurtsid stnialpmoc ytinummoc .stnemmoc erac noitnetta ta dna dna ,noitidda snoitca tuoba ytiliba ,ylralimiS nI roF s’yromE yromE yromE yromE yromE
“I didn’t mean good riddance to the man. I meant good riddance to the ideology,” says Kenney. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)
saw railimafnu eerht eht txet ehs ,dias deviecer erutcip fo .rebmun sthgin .doohrobhgien egassem egassem ni semoh reh morf ,derif syad deniatnoc erofeb noitanissassa dna na retfa a a ehT yenneK tI ruoF
dooG“ thgit .rosseforp peelS ”.ecnaddiR
?etorw nettirw gnitirw t’ndluow tahw skeew saw dlot ot ot eerht eht eht eht taht enohpelet klat ehs ehs ehs ehs retroper terger stsop erom fi reh evah dah nevig ,gnirif .gnileef ,kced ediced ,noitasrevnoc ecnahc feirb deksa .niaga retfa tuoba a a nO yenneK nI koobecaF diD
uoy uoy hsiw owt ot eht ,hceeps gnihtemos ,dekcohs d’ehs demees dias dias retroper enohp fo ton .dnim ti ti fi reh gnivah dah yfirolg modeerf gnileef enod ?yltnereffid .htaed syad degnahc ,llac deksa sa gnihtyna :niaga retfa tuoba tuoba tuoba ehT ehS ,woN s’kriK oD
nehw saw deklaw gniyrt ot llits deriter .desuap .edistuo ,dnabsuh reh etalumrof ,fehc rewsna na a ,ynoT ehS yenneK
edaM“ uoy .dias hcnul eh ”,syug rof
krow nehw kaew saw saw saw saw gniklaw ,rotalitnev oot ot ot emit gniht rieht eht eht gnikat llits gniyats semitemos llams llehs ehs ,fles dalas dias eno no ffo fo ekam ti ni latipsoh ,emoh sih sih .flesmih :mih mih reh eh eh eh eh eh eh dah remrof rof rof rof rof enod od od dluoc dluoc erac eserpac dellac tub kcalb edisdeb esuaceb ta ta lla retfa a a a a rednoW .namoW baL tI eH dnuop-021
knaht“ ”,hO“ ,uoy ehs ,dias ”.evol
htiw eht dalas otni reh gud deunitnoc .rewsna dna yenneK
I“ uoy uoy dluow tahw saw saw saw ot ot ot ot siht taht taht .stneduts ”.hceeps t’ndluohs .tsitneics yas yas yas thgir duorp fo ton ym s’ti ni etah modeerf rof ,derif derif ekaf gnisicrexe t’ndid t’ndid .atad ,yrtnuoc .eveileb esuaceb eb dab ma hguohtla esuba elba a I I I I I I dnA
daorb“ ’srenetsiL“ ,etirw weiv ytiralupopnu ot ot eht eht eht taht taht tneiciffus tcejbus .hceeps hceeps ,kaeps emos syas gnitaluger stcetorp etavirp ycilop ro no esneffo fo fo seton ton ton ,netsil ”,nrael edutital ti ti si ,noitutitsni evah sevig rof sgnileef desserpxe seod ,egnellahc ”.supmac sesab era dna dna na a ehT yciloP nepO ,sselehtreveN tsriF noisserpxE yromE sA .tnemdnemA
detaloiv siht siht eht eht noitanimret ehs ,etanes etanes emas dias ,gnilur dehcaer tnediserp yranimilerp .ycilop no fo ton noitagitsevni sah dah .ytlucaf ytlucaf tceffe .noisulcnoc eettimmoc gnillihc esac yb yb dnuob seveileb era dna srotartsinimda a a ellëoN ,eefAcM s’yenneK s’yenneK s’yromE yromE tuB A
elpoeP“ .dias era ”,diarfa eefAcM
erew erew saw ot eht eht eht taht taht ehs mees retroper gnisiar setouq detniop erutcip tuo no ton edam ti yletaruccani ni fi ssalg .detacirbaf kced .htaed gninialpmoc sa tuoba a X nO s’kriK yenneK ,setatsE eladnovA A
”,haeY“ dias .yltniaf yenneK
ehs“ ”,oN“ doog‘ ”—etorw etirw ,dias ’.ecnaddir dnabsuh reh t’ndid ehS
I“ ehs .dias ,did ”,ynoT
uoy“ ”,hO“ ,dias eh ”?did
s’tI“ ereht eht ehs .dias tuo no ”,tenretni
sdrow ,hcihw .yaw .klaw yrassecennu esrevinu gnipyt deirt ot eht eht eht eht eht eht taht nekat ehs demees thgir hcraeser retroper noitseuq evitacovorp cirtaidep ,kcehcyap edistuo ecno no fo :ssol ekil ,boj ecnarusni daetsni ni enigami ,enohPi ,dnabsuh reh reh pleh pleh htlaeh dah enog rof rof dnif wef eruc dluoc .recnac niarb ksa dna na na etanretla lla gnilia niaga a a a oT ehT yenneK tI
hsiw taht ehs ehs ?daetsni dah enod diD
I“ .sdrow eht llits ehs gnihcraes ”,yas ,dias thgir yllaer rof t’nac
I“ — uoy ”.wonk
I“ tahw eseht eht .dias dias ”.secneuqesnoc era I dnA
Thomas Lake is a senior reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. His work has been published in The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated and The Guardian. He’s a co-founder of The Lake Family Band. Please email [email protected] if you’d like to share a story idea.
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