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Jan. 10 (UPI) -- Amalija Knavs, the mother of former first lady Melania Trump, has died at the age of 78. "It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of my beloved mother, Amalija. Amalija Knavs was a strong woman who always carried herself with grace, warmth and dignity," Trump wrote Tuesday in a post on X.
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"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," the former first lady added, without giving a cause of death.
Last month, former President Donald Trump wished his mother-in-law a speedy recovery during a New Year's Eve speech from Mar-a-Lago, as he confirmed his wife would not be celebrating with him because she was visiting her sick mother.
"Melania -- great first lady, so popular, the people love her -- she's now in a hospital with her mother," Donald Trump told partygoers. "Her mother, Amalija, is very ill, but hopefully she'll be recovering."
Knavs was born in Slovenia in 1945, which was under Communist rule, and became a children's clothing factory worker. She and her husband, Viktor, became U.S. citizens in 2018 while their son-in-law was president.
Melania Knavs, who was born in 1970 and changed the spelling of her name to Knauss during her modeling career, said her mother's hard work always inspired her.
"My elegant and hardworking mother Amalija introduced me to fashion and beauty," the former first lady said in her speech at the Republican National Convention in 2016. "My father, Viktor, instilled in me a passion for business and travel. Their integrity, compassion and intelligence reflect to this day on me and for my love of family and America."
