Caitlyn Jenner Announces Death of Mother Esther at 96: 'I Will Miss Her Tremendously'

Caitlyn Jenner's mother Esther died a few weeks shy of her 97th birthday on May 15

Caitlyn Jenner is mourning the loss of her mother Esther Jenner.

On Friday, the 73-year-old Olympic gold medalist announced Esther's death at the age of 96 in a heartfelt Instagram post.

"I am heartbroken to announce my mom passed away yesterday morning, peacefully," Caitlyn wrote alongside several photos of her mother over the years. "Losing a mother is unique in the sense that she is the only person that loved me my entire life."

She continued, "I will miss her tremendously. She was a few weeks shy of 97 and lived a full life. Love you mom."

Related:Caitlyn Jenner Celebrates Her Mom's 94th Birthday Days After Mother's Day

Esther (née McGuire) publicly voiced her support for Caitlyn after she transitioned in 2015.

"It takes so much courage to do what she's doing," she told PEOPLE in June 2016. "When I first saw [Caitlyn], all I wanted to do was give her a big hug."

"I love her," she added at the time. "And she's happy. That's all that matters."

Related:Caitlyn Jenner Reveals Her Mother Esther Has Broken Both Hips: 'She's Tough'

Fans were first introduced to Esther on a 2013 episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians. She went on to appear on Caitlyn's E! show I Am Cait and her Netflix series Untold: Caitlyn Jenner.

The mother-daughter duo stayed close over the years. Esther rang in 94th birthday with the former athlete in May 2020. Caitlyn sang "Happy Birthday" to the Jenner family matriarch and presented her with a piece of cake, which was topped with a candle.

"Yay! 94 years old!" Caitlyn said in the Instagram video.

Related:Caitlyn Jenner's Mother: 'She's Happy. That's All That Matters'

Esther had struggled with health issues in later life. In October 2015, Caitlyn revealed that her mother had broken both hips.

"Visiting my mom and she's doing great after breaking both her hips," Caitlyn shared on Twitter. "She's been mobile — she's tough."

Shortly after, Caitlyn tweeted for friends, fans and family to "Please send good wishes & prayers out to my mom. She's not having a good day. Love you, Mom! You're an inspiration!"

After marrying Caitlyn's father, William Jenner, Esther went on to marry third husband Frank Avery. She had four children: Caitlyn, Pam, Lisa and Burt, who died in a car accident in 1976.

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