BROOKLINE, Mass. — Kitty Dukakis, the wife of former Massachusetts governor and Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis, who spoke openly about her struggles with depression and addiction, has died. She was 88.

Kitty Dukakis died Friday night surrounded by her family, her son, John Dukakis, said on Saturday by telephone. She fought to make the world better, “sharing her vulnerabilities to help others face theirs,” her family said in a statement.

“She was loving, feisty and fun, and had a keen sensitivity to people from all walks of life,” the family said. “She and our dad, Michael Dukakis, shared an enviable partnership for over 60 years.”

She won high marks as a political campaigner during her husband’s 1988 presidential efforts. She was called a key influence in his decision to seek the presidency. Earlier in the campaign, in 1987, she revealed she had overcome a 26-year addiction to amphetamines five years earlier.

— The Associated Press