Ivana Trump, mother of Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric, dies at 73

(NewsNation) — Former model Ivana Trump, the first wife of former President Donald Trump and mother of Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric Trump, has died at 73.

“She 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,” the former president wrote in a statement on his social media platform, Truth Social. “She was so proud of them, as we were all so proud of her. Rest In Peace, Ivana!”

The New York Fire Department said it responded to a report of a cardiac arrest at 12:49 p.m. ET and found Ivana Trump dead on arrival. She was found “in relation” to a staircase but officials could not say if she fell down the staircase or if it had any relation to her death.

The medical examiner will determine the official cause of her death.

The couple was married from 1977 to 1992 and had three children together, as well as nine grandchildren.

Ivana Trump, a Czech-American former model, worked as a vice president of interior design for The Trump Organization after her marriage to the former president.

The Trump family released a statement, saying their Ivana “was an incredible woman — a force in business, a world-class athlete, a radiant beauty, and caring mother and friend. Ivana Trump was a survivor.”

Born Ivana Zelnickova in 1949 in the Czechoslovak city of Gottwaldov, Ivana “fled from communism and embraced this country,” the statement continued.

“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,” Ivana Trump’s family wrote.

The Trumps had a messy and public divorce after Donald Trump met his next wife, Marla Maples. However, the two had been on good terms since then, with Ivana Trump writing in a 2017 book that they spoke about once a week.