Heartbreak for Kellyanne Conway as father John Fitzpatrick dies aged 79
KELLYANNE Conway’s father John Fitzpatrick has died aged 79, The Sun can reveal.
President , who at the weekend after her daughter Claudia claimed her mom’s job , is grieving the loss of her dad who passed away earlier this year.
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When approached by The Sun US, a family member at John and widow Carol’s modest home in the town of Cinnaminson, confirmed he had died.
A neighbor, who asked not to be named, also described him as a "really nice guy," and said the local community had been left saddened by his death on February 4.
His death certificate shows he was born in November 1940 in , and died while receiving inpatient care at the Physicians Regional Medical Center in Naples, .
The cause of death remains unknown.
In a post on Instagram on February 4, granddaughter shared a series of touching photographs of her grandfather with other family members, writing: "Saying goodbye to you was the hardest thing I have ever done. I’m so grateful I got to hold your hand to the end, but I’m most grateful to have had you.
"If only you knew the things I would do to take you to one last Eagles game or to play the piano for you one last time. Just to see your smile again. Your infectious smile.
"You brought us so much joy and life will never be the same without you. My heart hurts. We are all broken. I will make you proud, Poppop.
"I promise; the rest of my life is for you. Until I see you again, “old guy”."
Mr Fitzpatrick, a retired trucking company boss, was accused of abandoning at just three-years-old, after leaving the family home in Atco, New Jersey, when he divorced her mother Diane.
In a cover story with she claimed she was raised by her mother, her grandmother, Antoinette; and two aunts, saying: “I didn't know, unless you had to clean the bowl, why you would ever lift the toilet seat up."
But in an interview with Mail Online in 2017, her father slammed claims they were estranged, saying: "There were a couple of years early on that I didn't see her, but I always knew what was going on.
"My mother stayed in close contact with Diane and she and other members of the family reported back to me.
"Others may say I had little contact with Kelly as a child, but that's not the true picture."
Speaking from his home in Cinnaminson, he also revealed he had the same political views as his daughter and beamed with pride at the mention of her White House job.
He said: "I guess she really is one of the most famous women in America right now."
But Fitzpatrick, who is of Irish ancestry, while his ex-wife is of Italian descent, said Kellyanne had been so tied up with her career he hadn't seen her since her 50th birthday party.
It is unknown if she had been in contact with her father before he died. She was not in attendance at his modest cremation at Hodges Funeral Home at Naples Memorial Gardens in Florida.
On February 3, the day before her dad's death, Kellyanne tweeted she was at Kansas Day to celebrate retiring Senator Pat Roberts.
The following day, she sent prayers to political commentator Rush Limbaugh after he was diagnosed with cancer.
In 2005, Kellyanne credited her father in her book, What Women Really Want - How American Women Are Quietly Erasing Political, Racial, Class, and Religious Lines to Change the Way We Live.
She thanked him, along with other family members, for their "unconditional love, quiet sacrifice and loud encouragement" while writing the book.
Before her work with , the 53-year-old was a political pollster and consultant, particularly targeting women voters.
Kellyanne - who is due to speak at the National Convention tonight - served as Trump's third campaign manager and was also a frequent guest on television news shows.
In comparison, her husband, celebrated conservative attorney, George T. Conway III, is one of the founders of the anti-Trump political action group, The Lincoln Project, although he has vowed to step away to also focus on their family.
He has been a vocal critic of the President, but still supports his wife of 19 years, and they - Claudia, twin brother George, Charlotte and Vanessa.
On Sunday night, when she took to Twitter to declare: “I'm Leaving the White House. Gratefully & Humbly."
"This is completely my choice and my voice. In time, I will announce future plans," she said in her official statement.
"For now, and for my beloved children, it will be less drama, more mama.”
Her shock exit came after her Anti-Trump daughter Claudia, 15, took to social media to claim she was "officially pushing for emancipation" from her parents.
In a series of scathing tweets, the rebel teen laid bare her feelings about her , saying she was "DEVASTATED beyond compare."
She told her 253K followers: "I'm officially pushing for emancipation.
"Buckle up because this is probably going to be public one way or another, unfortunately. Welcome to my life.
"My mother's job ruined my life to begin with.
"Heartbreaking that she continues to go down that path after years of watching her children suffer. Selfish. It’s all about money and fame, ladies and gentlemen."
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, who has also been outspoken on Twitter and about her family drama, responded to the news her mom had stepped down by claiming her parents are "putting on a show".
The Sun US has reached out to Kellyanne's rep for comment.