RHONJ Star Reveals Why She Skipped Post-Reunion Dinner

Heavy/Bravo/YouTube RHONJ star gave an update.

A “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star had to head home after the reunion taping. The RHONJ season 13 reunion was taped on April 20, 2023, in New York City, but the post-show activities were cut short for Jennifer Aydin.

After host Andy Cohen hosted the reunion of co-stars Aydin, Teresa Giudice, Melissa Gorga, Margaret Josephs, Dolores Catania, and newcomers Danielle Cabral and Rachel Fuda, some members of the group went out to dinner. But Aydin skipped the post-reunion meal due to a family member’s medical situation.

Here’s what you need to know:

Jennifer Aydin’s Dad Had to Have an Important Procedure the Day After the Reunion

Following the RHONJ taping, Aydin explained why she didn’t go to a traditional post-show dinner with her co-stars.  On her Instagram story on April 21, 2023 she shared a photo of her dad, John Altinel, in a hospital bed as she took a selfie.

“Didn’t get to go to dinner after reunion cause I had to be up early to take my dad for his angiogram,” she wrote. “He did great & is back home.” The Bravo star added the praying hands emoji to her post.

According to Johns Hopkins, an angiogram is “a scan that shows blood flow through arteries or veins, or through the heart.” Dye is injected into the blood for the procedure.

Aydin later posted a follow-up of her father resting at home with a neck pillow behind his head. “Looking at my daddy so I can see how he’s doing today,” she said. “How are you Daddy?” She then noted a large bruise on her father’s forearm. “I know when they took out the IV that happened, right? You have to take it easy today,” she told her father, before reminding him not to use his bruised arm when he walks with his cane. “I love you, Daddy,” Aydin said at the end of the video.

Aydin’s father was featured on the 11^th season of  RHONJ when he moved into his daughter’s Paramus, New Jersey, mansion amid marital problems with his wife, Josephine.  In January 2022, Aydin also revealed that her mother had been dealing with health issues and was cancer free after a breast cancer diagnosis, per BravoTV.com.

Several RHONJ Stars Went to a Fancy Steakhouse Following the Reunion Taping

BravoPictured: (l-r) Rachel Fuda, Margaret Josephs, Melissa Gorga, Dolores Catania, Teresa Giudice, Jennifer Aydin, Danielle Cabral

While Aydin had an early morning the day after the reunion, she did grab a quick meal following the long Bravo taping.

According to BravoTV.com, after filming wrapped up she hit her Instagram story to tell fans she grabbed food at her favorite pizza place.  “[The] reunion was a doozie, folks,” she told fans. “That was the most stressful thing I think I’ve ever been through. Like, for real. I’m just glad we’re done with it and I’m getting my annual pizza fix.”

While Aydin ate pizza,  her co-stars Teresa Giudice, Dolores Catania and her boyfriend Paulie Connell, and Danielle Cabral and her husband, Nate, went to a let dinner at Rocco Steakhouse in New York City. On Instagram, Giudice shared a photo of a dessert platter the group ordered at the high-end steakhouse. It’s no surprise that the Gorgas weren’t included in the dinner plans, as Giudice has been in a long feud with her estranged brother Joe and his wife Melissa.

Had Aydin joined her co-stars for dinner, she likely would have been by her RHONJ bestie Teresa’s side. But according to Page Six,  Aydin did make amends with Margaret Josephs during the season 13 reunion. An insider told the outlet that Aydin “made a big effort” to resolve things with Josephs after years of bad blood, and that she was “uncharacteristically pleasant” toward Melissa Gorga as well.

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