“She lived life to the fullest—never forgoing an opportunity to laugh and dance,” he daughter Ivanka Trump said.
Ivana Trump, the first wife of former President Donald Trump and Czech-American businesswoman, has passed away at 73, the family confirmed in a statement.
The 45th US president announced Ivana’s death, the mother of his three children, Donald Jr, Eri, and Ivanka, on Truth Social. “I am very saddened to inform all of those that loved her, of which there are many, that Ivana Trump has passed away at her home in New York City,” he wrote.
“She was a wonderful, beautiful, and amazing woman who led a great and inspirational life. Her pride and joy were her three children, Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric. She was so proud of them, as we were all so proud of her. Rest In Peace, Ivana!”
According to The New York Times, she was found lifeless after falling down the stairs of her Upper East Side townhouse in Manhattan. Upon investigation by New York police, there were no signs of forced entry that the death appeared accidental.
Building an empire
Before marrying Donald in 1977, the Czechoslovakia native had an athletic career in skiing. Her talent led her to obtain an Austrian passport, which allowed her to leave the Eastern Bloc, per E! News. From Austria, Ivana worked as a ski instructor and model in Canada.
During her 15-year marriage with the real estate mogul, the pair defined New York’s 1980s society—the era of extravagant living among its elite. Though Donald is a known force in business, Ivana was also involved in birthing his legacy projects, like the development of Manhattan’s Trump Tower and the Trump Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City.
Lasting legacy
As a result, despite Donald’s succeeding marriages to Marla Maples from 1993 to 1999 and former first lady Melania Trump in 2005, Ivana is still known for helping build his global empire. At the time of her death, Ivana was worth an estimated $100 million.
“Heartbroken by the passing of my mother. Mom was brilliant, charming, passionate, and wickedly funny,” Ivanka Trump, her daughter and Former Senior Advisor to the President of the US, said on Instagram. “She modeled strength, tenacity, and determination in her every action. She lived life to the fullest—never forgoing an opportunity to laugh and dance.”
She continued, “I will miss her forever and will keep her memory alive in our hearts always.”
banner photos by Tiziano Brignoli on Unsplash..
