Melania Trump emerged from her social media hiatus on Sunday to pay tribute to her mother, Amalija Knavs, in a heartfelt Instagram post. In this message, the former first lady expressed her gratitude to her followers for the outpouring of well-wishes and support that she and her family had received during this challenging time.
Earlier in the week, on January 18th, Melania Trump delivered a moving eulogy in honor of her late mother at the Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach, Florida. With a poignant photograph of her mother accompanying her post, Melania conveyed her family’s deep appreciation, saying, “On behalf of my family, I would like to extend our deepest gratitude for the love and support that you have showered upon us throughout this journey of loss and grief. We will cherish the beautiful memories of my beloved mother and forever keep her light in our hearts.”
During the eulogy, Melania fondly reminisced about her mother, describing the impact Amalija had on her life, as reported by the Associated Press. She shared, “In her presence, the world seemed to shimmer with radiance and joy. Our bond was unbreakable.” Melania was joined by her father, Viktor Knavs, and the Trump family as they entered the Church of Bethesda by the Sea for the burial ceremony.
Also present at the service were two of the former president’s children from previous marriages, Tiffany and Ivanka Trump, along with Jared Kushner. Additionally, the former first lady posted the announcement of her mother’s passing on platform X, where she wrote, “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.
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.” Melania’s mother, who had worked as a patternmaker in a children’s clothing factory in her hometown of Sevnica, Slovenia, played a significant role in shaping Melania’s love for fashion and her subsequent modeling career, As per Newsweek.
While the specific cause of Amalija Knavs’s passing was not disclosed, it was known that she had been unwell. Melania had chosen to forgo attending her husband’s New Year’s Eve celebration at Mar-a-Lago, Florida, to be by her mother’s side. In a speech, Donald Trump informed the public of the challenging situation, remarking, “Melania—great First Lady, so popular, the people love her—she’s now in a hospital with her mother.
Her mother, Amalija, is very ill, but hopefully, she’ll be recovering. But she’s been very ill, so I want to say ‘hello’ to the First Lady—we just spoke, down in Miami, great hospital—and hopefully they’ll be ok, but it’s a tough one, it’s a very tough one. So she sends her love to everybody and she knows probably about 95 percent of the people here like I do. And we just want to wish Amalija that she gets better quickly.” During Donald Trump’s presidency from 2017 to 2021, Amalija Knavs was frequently seen visiting the White House.
