Television personality, host of “The Kimberly Guilfoyle Show” and the fiancée of Donald Trump Jr., Kimberly Guilfoyle has mixed ethnicity.
Key Takeaways
- Kimberly Guilfoyle was born on March 9, 1969, in San Francisco, California, to a Puerto Rican mother, Mercedes Marie Gerena, and an Irish father, Anthony Guilfoyle.
- Guilfoyle has faced criticism in the past for her “first-generation” claim because Puerto Ricans aren’t immigrants because they are born U.S. citizens.
A Proud First-Generation American
Kimberly Guilfoyle has described herself as a “first-generation American” due to her mother’s Puerto Rican and father’s Irish roots.
Her mom, Mercedes Marie Gerena, a special education teacher, was from Puerto Rico, and her dad, Anthony “Tony” Guilfoyle, immigrated to America from Ireland at age 20.
In 2020, Kimberly explained how she is a first-generation American, saying,
My mother, Mercedes, was a special education teacher from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. My father, also an immigrant, came to this nation in pursuit of the American dream. Now, I consider it my duty to fight to protect that dream.
Kimberly Guilfoyle
After the statement, she faced backlash as many people reminded her that Puerto Ricans aren’t immigrants because they are born U.S. citizens.
This is because Puerto Rico is a territory in the U.S., and its residents are U.S. citizens.
Sadly, her mother passed away from Leukemia when she was 11.
In an interview, she praised her, saying,
My mother was just everything to me, I loved her so much, I always wanted to be around her. I loved how I saw people react to her. She was a warm woman who worked in education with people with emotional challenges. I got my sense of giving back and how when you have many blessings, pay it forward.
Kimberly Guilfoyle
Her Father Was A Veteran
After coming to the US in 1957, her father, Anthony Guilfoyle, served in the army from 1958 to 1962 and became a real estate investor.
In 2008, he passed away, but Kimberly is still proud to learn all the lessons he taught her.
“My late father, Anthony Guilfoyle, left Ireland in his twenties and went to work in America. He worked in construction in San Francisco and later became a contractor and political adviser.”
Kimberly Guilfoyle
She continued,
He was drafted into the US Army and stationed in West Germany. My mother, Mercedes, was a special needs teacher who died when I was a child. My parents worked hard to ensure we had a better life. They supported us and gave us the courage to pursue our dreams. I appreciate that greatly. My father was so proud of my achievements.
Kimberly Guilfoyle
Growing up, Guilfoyle used to travel back to her dad’s native town, where she worked in her family’s local store.
I grew up partly in Ireland. Every summer from the age of five, I lived in Ennis where my Guilfoyle relatives had businesses on O’Connell Street — a gift shop called Dalcassian House, and Dalcassian Printers. I worked in the shop, which sold lovely china and Waterford Crystal.
Kimberly Guilfoyle
She added,
“I was about 11 or 12, and I got about IR£10 a week. It instilled a sense of responsibility in me, putting in the hours and earning the money.”
Kimberly Guilfoyle
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Kimberly Guilfoyle served in an advisory and fundraising capacity during Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign.
- She earned a J.D. degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law.
- She is the mother of one son, Ronan Anthony Villency, born in 2006, from her second marriage to ex-husband, Eric Villency.
