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Former First Lady Melania Trump has broken her silence following the death of her beloved mother, Amalia Knavs, on Tuesday at the age of 78.
Melania's mother dies at the age of 78
βIt is with deep sadness that I announce the death of my beloved mother, Amalia,β Melania wrote on social media. βAmalia Knavs was a strong woman who always carried herself with grace, warmth and dignity.β
“She was completely devoted to her husband, daughters, grandson and son-in-law,” she continued. βWe will miss her beyond measure and will continue to honor and love her legacy.β
Former President Donald Trump also spoke to honor Knavs.
βThis is a very sad night for the entire Trump family!!!β he wrote alongside a photo of himself standing next to Knavs. βMelaniaβs great and beautiful mother, Amalia, has just gone to a beautiful place in heaven. She was an amazing woman, and we will miss her very much.β
Melania missed New Year's celebrations to care for her mother
It comes after Melania missed her husband's New Year's Eve celebration at Mar-a-Lago last week so she could care for her mother, with former President Trump saying Knavs was “very ill.”
βI hope it goes well, but it's a tough decision, a very tough decision,β Trump said at the time, adding that Melania was “sending her love” from her mother's bed.
“She probably knows about 95 percent of the people in this room,” he continued. βWe just want to wish Amalija to get better as soon as possible.β
Melania has reportedly been at her mother's bedside since before Christmas.
βMelania has always been very loyal to her entire family,β a source close to Melania told Fox News. βIt should come as no surprise that she spent this Christmas with her sick mother.β
Full story: Trump reveals the sad reason Melania missed New Year's at Mar-a-Lago – 'very sick'
Knavs' inspiring life
The Daily Mail reported that Knavs was born in Gudendorf-Strassingel, Austria, and later moved to Slovenia when it was still under communist rule. She lived a humble childhood, spending it harvesting onions on her family's farm before starting to work in a textile factory, where she met her beloved husband, Victor.
The Knavs had their first daughter, Ines, who now resides in New York City, in 1968 before welcoming Melania to the world in 1970. Ines and Melania moved to Milan to model, and the future First Lady, whom she always said was an inspiration. Raised by her hardworking mother, she immigrated to the United States in 1996. Melania obtained a green card in 2001 and later became a US citizen in 2006.
RELATED: Melania Trump gives powerful speech about becoming a US citizen
Amalia and her husband later moved to the US as well, and were by Melania's side during her time in the White House, helping her raise her son, Barron, who is now 17 years old. After that, they lived in retirement at their brother-in-law's Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.
βMy stylish, hard-working mother, Amalia, introduced me to fashion and beauty,β Melania said while speaking at the Republican National Convention in 2016.
βMy father, Victor, instilled in me a passion for work and travel,β she added. βTheir integrity, compassion and intelligence are reflected to this day in my person and in my love for my family and America.β
Learn more about Knavs' death in the video below.
Please join us in saying prayers for the entire Trump family during this difficult time.
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