A 91-Year-Old Life Ends in Contrast
Antonie Zacpalová spent the final decade of her life residing at the Novovysočanská retirement home in Prague 9. The former Karlín Musical Theatre ballet dancer and mother to Karel Gott’s eldest daughter died at age 91 on October 5, 2026.
Initial reports indicated that no one immediately claimed her body. This raised the prospect of a state-funded social burial organized by the municipality, as detailed by zpravy.tiscali.cz.
Disappearing Remains and Rushed Intervention
Contradictory accounts quickly emerged regarding the disposition of her remains. One narrative claimed the body had disappeared from the morgue entirely. None of the women from her circle—including Karel Gott’s fan Vlasta Ševečková, the late singer’s acquaintance Alice Kovácsová, or Zacpalová’s fellow dancer Jitka Vašutová—initially stepped forward to take charge. Vašutová explicitly denied involvement to the press, stating, “I have no hand in this. I wouldn’t have the strength for it.”
Nejsem na bulvár,ale Gott a Timo=musikusovéGottova dcera Dominika v slzách: Zemřela její máma Antonie Zacpalová (†91)Dominika mohla v dobrém slova smyslu jméno Gott využít.Ona ten čas mládí "prošustrovala". Dnes žijí tak nějak, ale vypadá to,že se mají oba rádi a to není málo.
A different timeline was established when Expres reported that pop star widow Ivana Gottová was initially prepared to finance the funeral. Hours later, however, the arrangements shifted. An anonymous close friend of Dominika Gottová stepped in to cover the costs, contacting the Pegas funeral service to transfer the remains to another facility. Explaining the brief delay over the weekend, the anonymous organizer noted that bodies are not released from morgues on weekends, leading her to handle the transfer on Monday morning.
Distance, Distress, and Financial Strain
Dominika Gottová, residing in Helsinki, confirmed she would not travel to Prague for her mother’s funeral. Speaking to Aha!, she cited severe psychological distress and financial strain, noting that she urgently needed funds for her medication. “I loved my mom, but I just can’t manage to fly over right now,” she stated, adding that she accepted the offer of help from a family friend to manage the local arrangements and planned to hold a private farewell later.
The anonymous friend who organized the cremation—which cost approximately 30,000 CZK through a funeral service in Prague-Michle without a traditional public ceremony—remarked that Dominika felt unwelcome in the Czech Republic. “Dominika told me that Czechia is evil, that people here don’t like her, that no matter what she does, it’s always wrong,” the friend told the press.
Friction Over Past Savings and Departures
The situation drew sharp criticism from Jitka Vašutová, a former ballet colleague who had spoken with Zacpalová just two days prior to her death. In interviews with Blesk and CNN Prima NEWS, Vašutová voiced harsh frustration over Dominika’s absence and past financial dealings. Vašutová asserted that Zacpalová had depleted her savings and even cancelled her life insurance policy under pressure from her daughter. “Mom was giving her absolutely everything she managed to save. Nothing was left at all. I felt terribly sorry for her,” Vašutová said, questioning how funds provided by Karel Gott during his lifetime had been spent.
Super.cz noted that while Dominika remained in Finland, her husband, Timo Tolkki, was in the Czech Republic preparing for a concert tour with his project Stratovarius Classic, though he faced his own chronic balance disorder. Meanwhile, the exact location of Zacpalová’s final resting urn remains a private matter between Dominika and the anonymous organizer who stepped in to settle the arrangements.
