Joe Giudice is fighting back against claims made by Joe Gorga during production on the currently airing 11th season of The Real Housewives of New Jersey.
After Gorga suggested Giudice “put [his] mother in her f*cking grave” during a screaming match with Teresa Giudice and his wife, Melissa Gorga, Giudice is speaking out about the suggestion while also addressing his mental health struggles.
“What put me over the edge was Joe Gorga stating/alluding that I contributed to killing his (and Teresa’s) Mom. Those words hurt,” he told Celebuzz on March 22. “I know I didn’t do it, but I cared for her a lot and it bothered me that they aired it. I don’t want people to think I’m a killer, I made mistakes but not that.”
Teresa’s mother, Antonia Gorga, passed away in March 2017 after a battle with pneumonia. Three years later, Teresa announced the death of her father, Giacinto Gorga, following a number of hospital visits and his own bout with pneumonia.
Speaking of his own hardships, Giudice said he’s been “suffering from depression since everything that has happened to me,” including his deportation in October 2019.
“It’s been a lot to deal with the past few years- going away, having to leave the country (and more importantly my daughters), my marriage of over 20 years ending… and then the coronavirus on top of it which separated me from my daughters for so long. I am so thrilled to be reunited with my girls right now and really needed them,” Giudice explained.
As RHONJ fans may have seen, Giudice recently reunited with his four daughters, Gia, Milania, Gabriella, and Audriana, in the Bahamas.
“I really can’t do this thing called life without them,” he continued. “My depression has been taking over and seeing them has really helped to reground me and start to heal all of the trauma and pain I have been dealing with.”
The Real Housewives of New Jersey season 11 airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on Bravo.
Photos Credit: Paul Emmans/startraksphoto