Fox News host and former White House press secretary Dana Perino is mourning the loss of her father, Leo Perino, who died at 79.
The heartbreaking news has renewed attention on Perino’s close-knit family, including her mother, Jan Perino, her husband, Peter McMahon, and her sister, Angie Machock.
Leo and Jan Perino had two daughters, Dana and Angie. Leo lived in Denver and was known for his work in the community, where he reportedly spent much of his life advocating for neighborhood improvement and civic causes.
Jan Perino, Dana’s mother, has her own long history of service.
Jan was raised in Rawlins, Wyoming, and was described in a 2013 interview as a gifted sportswoman. At the time, she was retiring from years of volunteer work and community service.
In that interview, Jan said she hoped to spend more time golfing and trying new interests, including skiing and tai chi. She also described her work with Lutheran Family Services, a nonprofit, as her favorite job.
Still, Jan made clear that her greatest work was at home.
“But…my favorite “job” was raising two daughters to be professional, compassionate women who are making a difference in the world,” she said.
Speaking about how she balanced work and raising her daughters, Jan said service was part of the family culture.
“Working for a non-profit helping organization, I involved my family in volunteering to help them understand and see the needs of the world. Families who volunteer together stick together!”.
Screenshot Dana Perino Instagram
That family foundation helped shape Dana, who went on to become one of the most recognizable conservative voices on television after serving as White House press secretary under President George W. Bush.
Dana has also been open about the major role her husband, Peter McMahon, has played in her life and career.
Dana was 25 when she met McMahon in 1997, shortly after landing a job on Capitol Hill. The two crossed paths on a plane, where McMahon’s accent caught her attention.
McMahon had international business experience and spent part of his childhood connected to the Royal Air Force. Their first meeting quickly turned into something much bigger.
“We had polite conversation at first. I asked him about his book, he asked me how my trip was, but we ended up talking for two and a half hours. We call it love at first flight,” Dana said.
Despite their 12-year age gap, Dana said her father approved of the relationship. She told People that Leo believed an older man suited her because she had always moved quickly through life.
Dana, now 54, has said McMahon, an international businessman, has often helped her research foreign policy issues and supported her professional ambitions behind the scenes.
She credited him as “the wizard behind the curtain” in many of her career efforts.
Dana’s sister, Angie Machock, is also part of the family story.
Angie is married to a man named Ben and is an artist who appears to have a fondness for cats, based on her Instagram profile.
Her artwork has drawn praise from Dana’s Fox News colleagues, including Fox & Friends co-host Ainsley Earhardt.
“I am blown away by the talent and generosity of Dana Perino’s sister, Angie, an artist and painted this picture of Hayden,” Earhardt wrote on Instagram.
For Perino, the loss of her father marks a deeply personal chapter for a woman who has long spoken about the values, work ethic and family support that shaped her public life.
Leo Perino’s death leaves behind a family legacy rooted in service, faith, hard work and the kind of quiet support that helped carry one of Fox News’ most prominent figures to the national stage.
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