REAL Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice, her daughters, and brother Joe Gorga broke down in tears at her late dad Giacinto’s memorial service.
Teresa and Joe’s father passed away exactly one year ago at the age of 76.
In the upcoming episode of Real Housewives of New Jersey, the Gorga and Giudice family – sans Joe Giudice, Teresa’s ex-husband – came together to celebrate Giancito’s life after a very private funeral last spring due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
The housewife and her brother were surrounded by their co-stars and family friends as they all dressed in white and spread rose petals in the waters of the Jersey shore.
In the clip, Teresa’s oldest daughter, Gia, read from her phone as she celebrated her Nonno: “Thank you for being the rock of this family and showing us we can overcome anything because we are strong.
“Now, we will celebrate you and remember you for the rest of our lives. Rest easy and tell Nonna we all say hi and we love you both with all our hearts.
“May you two rest in peace together. We love you.”
Teresa quickly hugged her daughter as Joe urged everyone to come closer to the water so they could spread white rose petals for him.
Teresa then told producers during a confessional interview as scenes of Giancito flashed on the screen: “My dad was awesome. We had so much fun together.
“I remember that when I was getting married, he came with me to get my wedding dress. I went with him to pick everything out.
“He was a shopper like me, so he became my best friend. He was so special to us and I’m always going to remember that.”
The housewife then quickly hid her face in her hands as she broke down in tears.
In another heartbreaking scene, Teresa’s daughter hugged and kissed as they sobbed into each other’s shoulders.
A few episodes ago, Teresa had revealed that she now feels like an orphan as she’s lost both her mom and her dad.
Speaking in a confessional, Teresa admits: “I didn’t want my dad to leave me, but I know he was suffering. He couldn’t walk, and that was so hard. That, like, broke my heart. He wouldn’t want to live just laying in a bed.”
Getting tearful, she tells the camera: “I miss my dad so much. I feel like an orphan now. I feel like I’m all alone, but I’m happy he’s with my mom.”
“We made him as happy as he could, but I know he wanted to go be with my mom, you know?” Teresa reflects. “And he was holding on to be with me and my daughters.”
Back in September, Teresa celebrated her father on what would have been his 73rd birthday.
The RHONJ star captioned the post: “Your smile is worth a thousand words. Miss you today & everyday. Happy Birthday.”
Giancito passed away from chronic obtrusive pulmonary disease and heart problems at the age of 76 on April 3.
Back in April, a source exclusively revealed to The Celeb Report that Giacinto’s death was not related to coronavirus.
According to his obituary, Giacinto “peacefully succumbed to health complications from COPD and heart issues surrounded by his family.”
He was described as a “devoted” father to daughter Teresa and her ex-husband Joe Giudice, and son Joe Gorga and his reality star wife Melissa.
Giacinto was also a “cherished nonno” to Teresa and Joe’s daughters Gia, Gabriella, Milania and Audriana, and Joe and Melissa’s kids Antonia, Giuseppe and Giacinto.
The obituary read: “On December 27, 1969 Giacinto married the love of his life Antonia. They were married only a short time when they decided that there was a better life waiting for them in America and on October 13, 1971 Antonia and Giacinto, without being able to speak a word of English bravely left behind their life in Italy to travel to the United States in search of the American Dream.
“Giacinto got a job washing dishes in a small restaurant called the Mona Lisa in West Paterson. Paterson was the place they would call their home for many years and raise their two children, Teresa and Giuseppe.”
Teresa’s dad then went into construction and purchased a shoe repair store.
Following Antonia’s passing from pneumonia in March 2017 at age 66, Giacinto moved into Teresa’s home.
The RHONJ star broke the sad news of her father’s death in an Instagram post.
Following his passing, Teresa continued to post emotional tributes to her late father.
Back in April, she wrote: “Yesterday with the rain the skies cried with me for you leaving… today you made the sun shine to let me know you arrived & found mommy.
“I know how you loved your Blue so today I raise a glass to you! Salute to you PaPa.”
Giacinto appeared on several episodes of the Bravo show throughout the years.
