Ivana Trump, Donald Trump’s 1st wife, dies at age 73
New York, Jul 14 (EFE).- Ivana Marie Trump, the first wife of former President Donald Trump and the mother of three of his five children, died Thursday, according to a social media message posted by the magnate. She was 73.
“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,” wrote Trump on Truth Social, his social media platform.
The couple had divorced in 1992.
The former president did not mention the cause of death and instead wrote that his ex-wife 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!” added Trump.
According to local media, shortly after midday on Thursday, an emergency call was received reporting a heart attack and paramedics were dispatched to Ivana Trump’s Upper East Side apartment, where they found her.
“Our mother was an incredible woman – a force in business, a world-class athlete, a radiant beauty, and caring mother and friend,” said the family in a statement.
“Ivana Trump was a survivor. She fled from communism and embraced this country. She taught her children about grit and toughness, compassion and determination. She will be dearly missed by her mother, her three children and ten grandchildren,” the family added.
The Czech-American former model was born Ivana Zelnickova and ultimately emigrated to the US, married Donald Trump in 1977 and became his collaborator in several of his businesses, holding executive positions in the Trump Organization and several of his hotels.
The couple, who were closely followed by the tabloid press, divorced in 1992 amid heavy media scrutiny after Trump’s affair with actress Marla Maples, whom he married a year later and with whom he had a daughter, Tiffany.
Ivana, who decided to keep the surname of her ex-husband after the divorce, then developed a multi-faceted career during which she launched clothing, jewelry and beauty product lines, wrote several books and collaborated in putting out magazines.
Before marrying the magnate, Ivana Trump had been married from 1971-1973 to Austrian ski instructor Alfred Winklmayr and had obtained Austrian citizenship, purportedly so that she could leave communist Czechoslovakia. After divorcing her first husband, she moved to Canada, became a ski instructor herself and worked as a model.
She met Donald Trump while modeling in New York City in 1976 and they were married the next year. She gave birth to Donald Jr. in 1977, Ivanka in 1981 and Eric in 1984.
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