The latest episode of The Real Housewives of New Jersey showed Teresa Giudice — and her family — getting emotional as her daughter Gabriella Giudice left for college.
Most of the Sunday, May 19, RHONJ episode focused on Gabriella, 20, gearing up for her move to the University of Michigan. In one scene, Gabriella detailed her college plans while talking to her father, Joe Giudice, on FaceTime.
“I’m taking an economics course first semester. So, I’m excited to learn about that because that’s what I’m planning on majoring in,” Gabriella told Joe, 51. Gia Giudice chimed in, adding, “She’s gonna handle your finances, Dad. She’ll make sure everything’s stored away.”
Gabriella added, “That’s what I’ll do. I could handle people’s money.”
In her confessional, Teresa, 52, revealed that her ex-husband is not helping pay for Gabriella’s University of Michigan education, but her current husband, Luis “Louie” Ruelas, is.
“Yeah, Joe’s not helping. No, he can’t right now,” the RHONJ star admitted. “Joe’s still trying to get his life together in the Bahamas but it’s OK. You know, I’m thankful that I could pay for it.”
Elsewhere in the episode, fans watched as Teresa and her family had one final dinner with Gabriella before she officially moved into college.
Aside from Gia, 23, and Gabriella, Teresa and Joe share daughters Milania, 18, and Audriana, 14. Both of their college-aged girls appear to have pursued careers somewhat related to their parents’ past legal issues.
Teresa and Joe both “went away” to prison after they were convicted on fraud charges in 2015. Teresa served 11 months in jail and was released in December 2015. After she came home, Joe served his three-year sentence. Following his 2019 release, Joe was deported to his native Italy and has since permanently relocated to the Bahamas. (Teresa and Joe were married for 20 years, divorcing in 2020.)
After her father was deported, Gia decided to follow the criminal justice route. She graduated from Rutgers University in 2023 with a Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Gia originally worked with an immigration law firm as she studied for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) but has been exploring other options, like corporate law.
“Gia got into immigration law because of what happened with her dad, but she’s still thinking about what kind of law she wants to get into,” Teresa said of her eldest daughter during an episode of RHONJ earlier this month. “She’s very focused. I’m a proud mommy of four beautiful daughters.”
The Real Housewives of New Jersey airs on Bravo Sundays at 8 p.m. ET.
