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Money Still
Can't Buy Love
Donald & Ivana
Trump
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When most people think of Ivana Trump, they think of beauty
and glamour. Ivana has experienced her fair share of tragedy in her life,
including the death of her fiance when she was 21 as well as a very public
divorce.
However, she has never let it defeat her.
Ivana nee Zelnicek was born in Gottwaldov, Czechoslovakia,
a midsize town just south of Prague. She was cast in several Czech films
as a child, but was most interested in both skiing and swimming--two sports
at which she excelled from an early age. She won her first downhill race
at 6, and at 15, she joined the Czech junior ski team. While traveling
with the team, she got her first taste of what life was like outside the
Iron Curtain.
In 1967, she left her hometown to attend Charles University
in Prague, where she earned a Masters Degree in physical education and
language. While at university, she continued to ski representing both her
school and her country. She fell in love
with George Syrotvatka, a fellow skier and student at Charles. Syrotvatka
emigrated to Canada, and Ivana became seriously involved with a charismatic
Czech poet and songwriter named Yuri Steidal.
In 1973, he died tragically in a car accident, and the heartbroken Ivana
emigrated to Canada to live with her aunt and uncle.
Later, she reunited with her first love, George Syrotvatka,
in Montreal, and she began working for the prestigious Audrey Morris modeling
agency. In 1976, the agency sent several models to New York City to promote
the Olympic Games; while waiting for a table at the trendy Maxwell's Plum
restaurant, Ivana was approached by a young man who offered her and her
friends a table -- if he could sit with them. That young man was Donald
Trump. Donald proposed to Ivana during a Christmas ski vacation at Aspen
in 1976, and the couple was married in April 1977. Donald Jr. was born
on New Year's Eve, 1977, and over the next five years, Ivana gave birth
to two more children: Ivanka and Eric.
During her marriage to
Donald, Ivana became vice president for Interior Design for the Trump organization,
and worked side-by-side with her husband to help him build his empire.
She spent five years as CEO of Trump's Castle Hotel and Casino in Atlantic
City, followed by four years as president of the Plaza Hotel in New York.
Under her leadership, the Plaza was recognized as "The Best Luxury Hotel
in the USA" by Ivana's fellow hoteliers.
In 1990, Ivana and Donald separated, and every detail
of their marital woes was splashed across newspapers and magazines for
months. Throughout the whole media circus, Ivana maintained a stoic front
and continued to run the Plaza; she never let her personal life interfere
with running the business, and she even managed to maintain some of her
sense of humor throughout the ordeal.
During the long, painful process, one thing she and Donald
absolutely agreed on was that the welfare of their children was paramount,
and both tried to shield their kids from the worst of the media storm.
In October of 1990, Ivana's beloved father suffered a
fatal heart attack, and the Trumps -- including Donald -- traveled to Czechoslovakia
for the funeral. Subsequently, she and Donald agreed to an amicable divorce
-- partly for their children's sake, and partly for the love they had shared. |
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Today, Ivana has established three companies: Ivana Inc.
that is involved with Ivana's public appearances, speaking engagements,
endorsements, commercials, movies, books, her columns in Globe, Porthole
and Divorce Magazine and her representation of companies as a spokesperson;
Ivana Haute Couture & Co. which is responsible for her licensing deals;
and House of Ivana, Inc. that distributes Ivana's products over the Home
Shopping Networks.
Ivana is the author of two novels and one non-fiction
book about coping with divorce entitled The Best Is Yet To Come, as well
as a columnist for Porthole Magazine and The Globe. She gives several speeches
and presentations every year on topics ranging from motherhood to female
athletics to being an entrepreneur. Ivana serves as a role model for women
everywhere: strong, independent, and self-confident.
Ivana has a lot to offer people facing the challenges
of separation and divorce. Although she never had to worry about where
her next meal was coming from, that doesn't mean she was spared any of
the tears, fears, and sleepless nights that accompany the breakdown of
a relationship. "Being on my own has helped me move in new directions and
to develop new resources." |
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P.S. I Hate
You
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"As I write this letter, Send my love to you,
Remember that I'll always be in love with
you;
Treasure these few words till we're together,
Keep all my love forever. P.S. I love you"
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That was the opening of "P.S. I Love You," one of the Beatles'
signature love songs from the early 1960s. Of course, John Lennon and Paul
McCartney weren't always so ga-ga, lovey-dovey — especially toward each
other. Beatles fans, however, would rather hear "Words of Love" than
words of hate, especially from members of the "Fab Four."
John Lennon's six page scathing letter to Paul and Linda McCartney,
most likely from the early 1970s, failed to sell at an auction. Christies
set a minimum bid of $96,000 with the highest bidder shy by nearly $20,000
from that mark. However, it was snatched up soon after for $88,330.00.
In the letter, Lennon said that he thought McCartney's marriage
would not make it past two years, and accused Paul of letting their success
go to his head. "Didn't we always say we were part of the [music]
movement — not all of it? Get off your gold disk and fly," Lennon wrote.
However, John did sign the letter, quote, "In spite of
it all, love to you both, from us two."
The letter was undated, and it's not known if it was ever actually
sent to Paul and Linda. |
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The mission of this not-for-profit website is to promote clear insights
and toleration regarding the many variations of primary relationships that
exist in our world. We ask for neither acceptance or approval but
hope that each visitor who reviews the pages of this site will leave them
with a better understanding of the numerous cultural, historical, preferential,
religious, sexual, and sociological approaches to coupling that have always
existed and will continue to exist as long as there are at least two human
beings living on this planet. If the effort put into creating and
maintaining this site results in others coming to the realization that
the basic human need to love and be loved takes on many forms which are
accepted by those who practice them, whether right or wrong as determined
by the personal belief system of others, then it will have served it's
purpose well. |
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