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Getty Antonia and Joe Gorga.
“Real Housewives of New Jersey” stars Melissa and Joe Gorga opened up about their daughter, Antonia. On the August 11, 2022 episode of Melissa’s “On Display” podcast, the couple dished about how much their daughter has grown up as she heads into her senior year of high school.
Just ahead of Antonia’s 17th birthday, Joe told listeners, “She’s beautiful, she’s stunning, I love her more and more as she gets older…. She’s different, maturing.”
“She chills with us, she hangs out with us. She glows now, she’s different,” the proud dad added.
Joe, who also shares sons Gino and Joey with Melissa, has made no secret that Antonia will always be his baby girl. He also spilled details on a lavish gift he bought his only daughter for her 17th birthday.
Joe Gorga Bought His Daughter an Expensive Car For Her Birthday
On the podcast, Joe revealed that he gave Antonia “a big surprise” ahead of her August 12 birthday.
“She did receive her car already that she’s super excited about,” Melissa added. “Joe surprised us both that day.”
“I bought my daughter – she always wanted this car,” Joe told fans on the podcast. “I tricked her. I bought the car three months ago because it’s very hard to find cars now. So I kept telling her ‘There’s no cars, there’s no cars.’ And she wanted this particular car, and every day she was like ‘Let’s go car shopping.’ I took her car shopping. I would call the dealership ahead of time and tell them, ‘Listen, tell her there’s no cars.’ So I had her going for three months, and I surprised her with a car. It was the best moment a dad could ever have. I mean the way she appreciated it, she cried.”
Melissa admitted the car is “a little over-the-top” and that her own first car was a green Toyota Tercel that she worked three jobs to pay for. Melissa noted that she did not have a “daddy” to help her with a car or her insurance and that she loves the fact that her daughter does.
“I’m going to be her daddy forever,” Joe chimed in. “And I want to make her life special. And that’s it. And I don’t care. She’s my little baby girl. She loves me, the way she looks at me and I love her and I’m going to give her everything I possibly can for the rest of my life. Sorry.”
The two teased that the moment was filmed as Melissa’s mom sat in the car with balloons all over it when Antonia came outside and saw her gift.
“It was a great moment, I can’t replace that moment,” Joe said.
Melissa added that her daughter deserves a “very beautiful, high-end car” because she’s “a good kid and her daddy wanted to do it for her.” The Envy boutique owner revealed that her daughter got straight As and made the dean’s list and that a teacher sent her a note that said kids like Antonia are why she got into teaching.
“She’s a good kid…and I want to reward her for that,” Joe agreed. “She’s my girl in my life. You know I don’t have much family as you can tell. It’s pretty sad, so whatever I have I’m gonna cherish.”
Joe did not initially reveal the make of the car that he gifted his daughter, but he dropped a clue on the podcast as he noted that he was able to convince Antonia that it would be impossible to get her dream car because two ships carrying that type of car fell into the ocean during a tragic accident, making them in short supply.
According to the Wall Street Journal, in March 2022, a cargo vessel that was transporting luxury cars from Germany to the United States sank in the Atlantic Ocean. The car brands affected included Porsche, Lamborghini, and Bentley.
On Antonia’s birthday, Melissa Gorga posted a photo of her 17-year-old daughter posing in front of her brand new, white Porsche.
Joe & Melissa Gorga Posted Birthday Messages for Antonia
On Antonia’s birthday, Joe Gorga posted an Instagram video of her driving a car, but it wasn’t her new sports car. Instead, it was footage of her at a driving school as she prepared to take her road test for her driver’s license. In the video, the dad of three joked that if Antonia didn’t pass her driving test he would keep “that car” and drive it himself.
“A daughter may outgrow your lap, but she will never your heart. happy birthday @antoniagorga #daughter,” he captioned the clip.
Melissa posted an Instagram photo of the birthday girl standing next to her car with the caption, “And just like that she’s 17!!. [Antonia Gorga] you deserve every gift we give you.”
But some followers were put off by the pricey Porsche.
“That’s crazy! Why would you give her that? Makes no sense,” one commenter wrote.
“The same reason they decided to post it on IG for public consumption instead of just a group text to friends and family—to flex. That’s what shallow people do,” another replied.
“Listen to her podcast and hear Joe gush over his daughter and you will understand,” another wrote.
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Joe Gorga Boasts About Daughter Antonia’s 17th Birthday Gift