It’s been a devastating week for the Duggar family.
On Sunday, Mary Duggar, the 78-year-old family matriarch, suddenly passed away after falling into a pool.
Now, the “19 Kids and Counting” family is speaking out about the tragic accident.
In a statement to Us Weekly, the Duggars said that the fall into the pool came after Mary suffered from health issues earlier this year. A rep for the family said:
“Grandma Duggar has had two strokes over the last year and some other medical issues and it’s our understanding that Grandma Duggar had slipped and fallen and passed by the time her daughter found her in the pool.”
The rep added:
“We’ve been really touched by the outpouring of support and more than a thousand people referred to her as America’s grandma which is a title we hadn’t even given her.”
We are so sad to share that Grandma Duggar (Mary) passed away Sunday afternoon, June 9th, 2019. Mary Lester Duggar grew…
Posted by Duggar Family Official on Sunday, June 9, 2019
Jill Duggar, 28, wrote on Instagram that she was heartbroken when her grandmother “died suddenly” over the weekend.
She wrote:
My heart breaks. My grandma died suddenly today! She was an amazing woman of God and such a great example to so many! Grandma, you are greatly missed by all who knew you!
The family matriarch was featured on “19 Kids and Counting” and “Counting On.” She left behind 21 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren, with more on the way.
An earlier statement released by the Duggar family called Mary “a follower of Christ, a wife, a devoted mother, a loving mother-in-law, and a much-loved grandmother.”
The Tontitown Police Department opened an investigation into the accidental drowning, but it’s unclear when it’s expected to conclude.