Ivana Trump Found Dead at the Bottom of Staircase Transcript

Ann Mercogliano: (00:00)
It’s the grand staircase inside Ivana Trump’s Manhattan townhouse where the 73-year-old was found dead, Thursday. According to reports, she either fell down the stairs, or suffered a fatal heart attack. Ivana purchased the beautiful four-storey townhouse following her 1992 divorce from Donald Trump. Dr. Patricia Quigley, a fall injury expert says staircases can be especially dangerous for elderly people.

Dr. Patricia Quigley: (00:28)
They’re having problems with balance. They’re having problems with foot placement. They’re having problems with vision. So, when you combine all of those risk factors for older people, it makes them very vulnerable for those falls that occur.

Ann Mercogliano: (00:40)
New York Society columnist R. Couri Hay, a long time acquaintance says Ivana’s health was declining in recent years.

R. Couri Hay: (00:48)
Ivana slowly has been disappearing from public life, I would say, for the last two, maybe even three years. She did look not as vibrant as she usually do.

Ann Mercogliano: (01:01)
This is the last known video of Ivana walking near her home in May on the arm of an acquaintance.

Speaker 4: (01:07)
Hey, Ivana. How are you?

Speaker 5: (01:08)
Hi. Hello.

Ann Mercogliano: (01:09)
She looked frail as she stopped by her favorite restaurant, Altesi, steps from her home.

Paolo Alavian: (01:15)
This is her favorite table.

Ann Mercogliano: (01:17)
Owner Paolo Alavian was close to tears today.

Paolo Alavian: (01:21)
It’s big loss. Definitely, we will miss her.

Ann Mercogliano: (01:25)
The restaurant prepared her last meal, a takeout order of soup picked up by her assistant, the night before she died. Concern about catching COVID kept Ivana in isolation, but she was making plans to embark on her annual trip to the French Riviera.

Nikki Haskell: (01:40)
She was always afraid of getting the virus, and she finally decided that she was going to St. Tropez, and I had been in a text communication with her telling her how happy I was that she was going and how much fun she was going to have.

Ann Mercogliano: (01:55)
She was scheduled to get her hair done at 2:00 PM, Thursday at her favorite salon, but she never made it. Her loyal little Yorkie, Tiger, was always with her. Yesterday, Tiger was carried out of the townhouse by an aid. Ivana’s three children with Donald Trump are sharing images from their childhood today. Her daughter-in-law Lara, Eric’s wife, spoke about her on Fox News today.

Lara Trump: (02:20)
It’s been a tough time for our family, for sure. But I’ll tell you what, she raised three incredible children.

Ann Mercogliano: (02:27)
Ivanka posted these images on Instagram. “Brilliant, charming, passionate, and wickedly funny,” she wrote. “I will miss her forever and keep her alive in our hearts always.”