Raquel Leviss was spotted for the first time since checking herself into a mental health treatment facility in the aftermath of her cheating scandal with Tom Sandoval.
The Vanderpump Rules star, 28, was photographed in Tuscon, Arizona, on Tuesday, July 18, where she was visiting family. In the photos, obtained by Page Six, Raquel donned a hat that read “Be a good person” with shorts, sneakers and a button-up shirt over a t-shirt.
Raquel’s public appearance came the same day that her Pump Rules costar Scheana Shay shared glimpses of a cast trip to Lake Tahoe via her Instagram Story. Last month, a source exclusively told Us Weekly that Raquel’s future on the Bravo series was still up in the air. “Nothing has been decided yet,” the insider said at the time. “Both sides are hoping they can work something out so that Raquel gets the treatment she needs, and she’s still able to be included in the show.”
A rep for the former pageant queen confirmed to Us in April that Raquel had entered treatment. “Raquel and her family decided before the relationship was discovered that she would enter a voluntary facility for mental health counseling,” a statement read. “Raquel had planned to admit herself before the VPR reunion was taped on March 23. She was scheduled to go in pre-reunion but decided she wanted to finish her filming commitment. Bravo and production were aware and in support of her journey towards better mental health.”
In June, an insider exclusively shared with Us that Raquel was still in the facility and had been for “68 days and counting.” The source continued: “Her treatment is helping her learn the basis of her decisions and to grow from her mistakes with the hope of making better choices and becoming a better person.”
The California native’s decision to enter treatment came one month after her affair with Sandoval, 40, made headlines. The TomTom cofounder and then-girlfriend Ariana Madix called it quits after nine years of dating due to his infidelity. Although Raquel drew backlash from fans and costars alike amid the drama, the insider emphasized that the Bravolebrity was “remorseful for her actions” and had “apologized repeatedly.”
Days after the scandal came to light, Raquel issued a public apology to Ariana, 38, via Instagram, noting that although she was “not a victim” in the situation, she was “speaking to a counselor” to better understand what led to her actions.
“I have sought emotional validation through intimate connections that are not healthy without regard for my own well-being, sometimes negatively affecting others and often prioritizing the intimate connection over my friendships. I am taking steps to understand my behavior and make healthier choices,” she wrote at the time.
Raquel dropped a bombshell about the timeline of the affair at the end of part 3 of the Pump Rules season 10 reunion, which aired in June.
“I think it’s important to me to tell the truth. I think that I’ve been lying and being so deceitful this entire time that I don’t want to lie anymore and it’s all out there anyway,” she said, before admitting that she and Sandoval hooked up a second time “during Mexico [at Scheana and Brock Davies’ August 2022 wedding].”
Raquel also revealed another piece of the puzzle, which she claimed Sandoval wanted them to continue lying about.
“This is the one story that we’ve agreed on getting straight. And I know the reason why Tom wanted to lie about it is that it’s a really bad look to hook up with someone’s boyfriend in their own house when they’ve gone out of town. Especially for like a funeral of all things,” she said through tears, referring to Ariana going out of town to mourn her late grandmother in September 2022.
Although Raquel and Sandoval both claimed to be in love with each other during the reunion, they’ve refrained from labeling their relationship in the aftermath of the affair.
In a March Instagram statement, Raquel acknowledged the “indefensible circumstances” of their romance and stated, “I don’t want to label anything or predict what lies ahead. Right now I need to heal.”
Sandoval, for his part, echoed the sentiment during an April appearance on the “Howie Mandel Does Stuff” podcast. “We’re really good friends. We’re not putting any label on it,” he told Howie Mandel at the time.
