Melania Trump’s Mother, Amalija Knavs, Dead at 78

Amalija Knavs, the mother of former first lady Melania Trump, has died at the age of 78, the former first lady announced on social media on Tuesday.

“It is with deep sadness that I announce the passing of my beloved mother Amalia,” Trump wrote in a statement xformerly Twitter.”Amalija Knavs was a strong woman who always carried herself with grace, warmth and dignity. She was completely devoted to her husband, daughters, grandson and son-in-law. We will miss her immensely and continue to respect and love her legacy,” the statement continued. .

The news comes after Donald Trump used his New Year’s Eve event at Mar-a-Lago to acknowledge his wife’s absence from family gatherings during the holiday season, telling the crowd she had come to see her mother.

Sources tell PEOPLE that the former first lady was not at Trump’s New Year’s Eve bash, with video showing that as the former president spoke to those in attendance, he announced, “Melania — a great first lady, so popular, people love her — is now in the hospital with her mother. Her mother Amalija is very ill, but we hope she will recover.”

Trump, 77, continued: “But she was very sick, so I just want to say ‘hi’ to the first lady – we just talked, down in Miami, great hospital – and we hope she’s going to be OK. But it’s hard first, very is hard. She probably knows about 95% of the people in this room. We just want to wish Amalia a speedy recovery.”

Donald Trump says Melania’s mother is ‘very sick’ over her absence from the celebrations

Amalija Knavs, Barron Trump, Melania Trump and Donald Trump leave the White House on June 29, 2018.

Olivier Douliery/ Abaca Press (Sipa via AP Images)

Melania maintained a close relationship with her mother and father Viktor Knavs (79). In recent years, the Knavs lived in Mar-a-Lago, where the former first lady and the former president also live.

“[Amalija] she has a great relationship with Melania and Barron,” a source close to the family told PEOPLE. “They love her. She is selfless and takes care of her family. Melania has always been super good with her mom as well as Barron.”

The source added that Barron became especially close to Amalia. “There were times when Barron was with his grandparents more than Melania, and a lot more than Donald.”

Amalija and Viktor Knavs leave the White House on November 26, 2019.

JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty

Both Viktor and Amalija were sworn in as US citizens in New York federal court in August 2018, during Trump’s presidency. Speaking to ABC News at the time, the couple’s lawyer said the two “had a wonderful journey like most — millions of them — in obtaining citizenship and waiting the necessary period of time.”

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The move comes amid a heated debate over immigration and after the Trump administration adopted a “zero tolerance” policy for illegal border crossings that saw nearly 2,000 children separated from their families over six weeks in April and May of that year.

The couple hails from present-day Slovenia, where Melania was born in April 1970, according to the White House Historical Association. Amalija is a former textile worker, and Viktor is a former car dealer, the Associated Press writes.

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Source: HIS Education