Former first lady Michelle Obama’s mother, Marian Robinson, has died at the age of 86, according to a statement from the Obama and Robinson families, CNN reported.
The statement read: “As a sister, aunt, cousin, neighbor, and friend to so many, she was beloved beyond words by countless others whose lives were improved by her presence.
“She passed peacefully this morning, and right now, none of us are quite sure how exactly we’ll move on without her.”
Michelle, 60, posted on social media: “My mom Marian Robinson was my rock, always there for whatever I needed. She was the same steady backstop for our entire family, and we are heartbroken to share she passed away today.”
“There was and will be only one Marian Robinson. In our sadness, we are lifted up by the extraordinary gift of her life. And we will spend the rest of ours trying to live up to her example,” the former US president wrote on X.
Robinson lived with the Obamas during their time at the White House and often accompanied them at events, including the time when they handed out goodie bags to trick-or-treaters on Halloween.
Marian, who returned to her native Chicago after the Obamas left the White House, was married to Fraser Robinson, and the pair had two children, Michelle and Craig.
Fraser died in 1991 after a long struggle with multiple sclerosis.
David Axelrod, former Obama senior adviser, while remembering Marian, said: “She was a South Sider through and through.”
He added that during her time at the White House, “she did not take to the whole celebrity lifestyle”.
Instead, Axelrod said, “she would often slip out of the White House on her own and visit with friends. … She really wasn’t looking for attention.”
