Teresa Giudice has spoken out publicly for the first time about her daughter Milania’s psychological trauma following their viral airport confrontation.
The “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star, 54, posted a statement to Instagram Stories on Monday addressing what she described as an “incredibly difficult and deeply personal time” for the 20-year-old. The message came nearly one week after footage of the mother-daughter clash at an airport circulated widely online.
“Milania has experienced tremendous heartbreak and significant psychological trauma after losing two of her best friends,” Giudice wrote.
One of those friends was Victoria Zardoya, Milania’s close confidante, who died in July following a fatal fall. The identity of the second friend referenced by Giudice remains unclear from her statement.
The Bravo personality expanded on the impact of that grief, noting the particular pain of witnessing a child struggle with loss. “Grief affects everyone differently, and watching your child try to process that kind of loss is something no parent can ever truly prepare for,” she added.
Giudice emphasized that her attention is fixed entirely on her daughter’s wellbeing rather than public commentary. “My only focus is making sure [Milania] is surrounded by love, family, support adn the care she needs,” she wrote, preserving the spelling as it appeared in her Instagram Stories post.
The statement also framed the family’s recent struggles in broader terms. “The past few months have been incredibly difficult for our family, and I feel it is important to say something while also protecting my daughter during an extremely vulnerable time in her life,” Giudice explained.
The airport incident that prompted Giudice’s response occurred when Milania was traveling with her mother. The confrontation drew substantial social media attention before Giudice elected to address the circumstances behind her daughter’s emotional state.
The loss of Zardoya in July had already been publicly noted by the Giudice family. The young woman’s death came after a fall, adding to the series of personal challenges Milania has faced in recent months.
Giudice’s statement did not directly reference the specifics of the airport encounter, instead contextualizing it within the larger narrative of her daughter’s bereavement and mental health struggles. The spelling error in her post—”adn” for “and”—was left uncorrected in the Instagram Stories format.
The “RHONJ” star has four daughters with her ex-husband Joe Giudice: Gia, 24, Gabriella, 20, Milania, and Audriana, 15. She married Luis Ruelas in 2022.
Giudice’s statement concluded without addressing whether Milania is receiving professional treatment or what form the “care she needs” might take. The family’s next public appearance has not been announced.