Former first lady Melania Trump announced the passing of her mother, Amalija Knavs, on Tuesday.
“It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of my beloved mother, Amalija,” the former first lady wrote in a X post.
Trump called her mother “strong” and “entirely devoted” to her family.
“Amalija Knavs was a strong woman who always carried herself with grace, warmth, and dignity,” Trump wrote. “She was entirely devoted to her husband, daughters, grandson, and son-in-law.”
“We will miss her beyond measure and continue to honor and love her legacy,” she added.
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First lady Melania Trump’s parents, Viktor Knavs and the late Amalija Knavs arrive on the South Lawn of the White House, on March 31, 2019 in Washington, DC. (OLIVIER DOULIERY/AFP via Getty Images)
The news comes after former President Donald Trump said that Knavs was “very ill” at his New Year’s Eve’s celebration at his home in South Florida.
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“Hopefully she’ll be recovering,’ the former president said after mentioning he had gotten off the phone with Melania who was at a Miami hospital with her sick mother.
“It’s a tough one, a very tough one,” Trump continued.
Viktor and the late Amalija Knavs, the parents of US First Lady Melania Trump, make their way to a vehicle upon arrival at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida on March 17, 2017. (MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Similarly, Melania was absent from the family’s Christmas celebrations as she took care of her ailing mother.
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“Melania has always been very devoted to her entire family,” a source close to Melania Trump told Fox News Digital. “It should be no surprise that she spent this Christmas with her ailing mother.”
Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report.
