Chosen family! Ariana Madix spent quality time with Scheana Shay and her daughter, Summer, after her split from Tom Sandoval.
“#TeamAriana Auntie 🦄 for the win,” the “Good As Gold” singer, 37, captioned a sweet Instagram upload on Tuesday, March 7. In the photo, Madix, also 37, held Summer, 22 months, in her lap as they both smiled for the camera. The toddler wore a grey sweatsuit with a black bow in her hair, while Madix kept it casual in a hoodie and messy bun.
Shay gave another glimpse of the trio’s night out via her Instagram Story, sharing a video of Madix sitting beside Summer. The little one watched a cartoon on a tablet as the bartender — a.k.a. “Auntie Unicorn” — sang along with her.
Madix’s playdate with her Vanderpump Rules costar comes less than one week after Us Weekly confirmed that Sandoval, 39, and the Florida native called it quits after nine years together due to his affair with Raquel Leviss. According to a source, the former couple were “having problems for a while” before the affair pushed them to “a breaking point.”
After news broke of the cheating scandal, Madix was spotted “rallying” with Shay at a Tove Lo concert on Friday, March 3, as Sandoval performed with his cover band in Anaheim, California. An eyewitness exclusively told Us that fans cheered for Madix during her ex’s show.
“Have you ever been one of the most hated people in America?” Sandoval asked the crowd, per the insider.
Madix deleted her social media in the wake of the controversy but has been leaning on her fellow Bravo stars — past and present — for support. Shay was spotted visiting her pal’s home on Friday, along with Katie Maloney and Pump Rules alum Kristen Doute. (The latter previously dated Sandoval from 2007 to 2013 before he moved on with Madix.)
The TomTom co-owner initially addressed his affair with Leviss, 28, via Instagram on Saturday, March 4, encouraging fans to focus their “anger” on him instead of on his several business ventures with BFF Tom Schwartz. At the time, Sandoval did not mention Madix in his statement but noted that he would be “taking a step back” from his restaurant Schwartz & Sandy’s “out of respect for my employees & partners.”
Days later, the Missouri native shared a second statement with his Instagram followers that included a direct apology to his now-ex. “I made mistakes, I was selfish and made reckless decisions that hurt somebody I love. No one deserves to feel that pain so traumatically and publicly,” he wrote on Tuesday, March 7. “I can only imagine how devastating this has been for Ariana and everyone around us. I feel really horrible about that. My biggest regret is that I dishonored Ariana. I never meant to disappoint so many people, including our loving families and friends.”
Sandoval noted that he “owed Ariana better” and expressed regrets about the way their romance ended. “The choices I made hurt so many people,” he wrote. “I acted in a way that clashes with who and how I want to be. I will continue to reflect and work on myself. I have work to do. I always have, and I always will.”
Shay, meanwhile, has made it clear where she stands as the scandal continues to develop. “Every morning when I wake up, I realize it wasn’t just a nightmare. It’s real. 😭💔 #TeamAriana,” she tweeted earlier this month.
