Kolinda dedicated her emotional post to her deceased mom: ‘Life did not pamper her, fought for us’
Finally, I have a short power to contact you in this extremely difficult and painful week for me and my family. I didn’t even have the strength to wish you a happy and blessed Easter, so now I do, with a special blessing to those who seek peace, as my mom sought it. I did not even come to look at the departure of the Holy Father Pope Francis. May his soul be, she wrote on Facebook a former president Kolinda Grabar–Kitarovic.
She dedicated her post to her mom Miljenki Dubravki who passed away last week. In addition to the post, she posted a shared photo. We convey the rest of the post in full.
« When just a few weeks ago this photo was taken, I didn’t even dream that it would be our last shared photo.
My mom has struggled for years with one of the most cruel diseases that no one has ever cured – Alzheimer’s dementia. But she passed away from the effects of kidney cancer, which was detected in the last phase, when her bones were already breaking with metastases. It was indescribably difficult to watch her bother in severe pain. Almost symbolically, she passed away on Good Friday, on the day of the Passion of the Lord.
Life never pampered. She has worked hard all her life hard, physical jobs, from early dawn to late evening. As a young girl, they often pulled her out of school to come home. Although she was not able to finish high school herself, she realized that education was the key to success, and did everything she could to help me live a different life. She sacrificed herself for all of us. When I was deeply doubting whether to accept the ministerial position because my two young children were first, she, to my surprise, replied without thinking that I had to accept this obligation, and that she would do everything to help me.
This, admittedly, was preceded by the story of how the state administration treated me in pathological pregnancy, for which she was deeply hurt and outraged. She believed deeply in Croatia, but also in how much it should be changed. She went with me and in Washington IU Brussels to help us take care of the kids. Years later she kept her brother’s children. I remain endlessly grateful to her for everything she did for all of us.
From the depths of my heart, I thank all of you who loved her, respected her, cared for her, friend and hanging out with her. I do not want to emphasize anyone in particular that I accidentally forget a name – you know who you are. I especially thank doctors, nurses and technicians who have cared for so many care and attention about her in those last, torturous days. Your compassion helped me too much pain.
Mom was a very simple person. She did not like public attention and public events, she did not like reception, protocol and pomp. If I asked her at the restaurant what she wanted to order, she would regularly answer « something simply ». The only moment I had the impression that she was impressed, it was when I took her to a concert to the large UN General Assembly Hall in New York. Her desire was to make her last farewell exclusively in a narrow family circle, modestly and without pomp.
For all of you who knew her and would like to give her the last greeting, we will hold two Holy Masses of suffocation. The Holy Mass in her hometown of Jelenje will be held on Thursday, April 24, 2025, in the parish church of St. Mihovil, starting at 7.00 pm. The Holy Mass in Zagreb will be held on Friday, April 25, 2025, in the worship space of Alojzije Stepinac on Kaptol, starting at 11.00.
All fellow journalists who would like to give her the last greeting, but we ask you all nicely without recording and posting. She just wouldn’t want it. Thank you.
