Two months after calling off her engagement to Andrew “Drew” Bohn, Alexis Bellino has revealed why she made the decision to end their relationship.
As she mourned her late mom, Penelope, who died in August, she realized it was time to move on from Bohn, 44.
“The death of a close person like your mom either makes a couple or breaks a couple,” Bellino told Page Six. “And, unfortunately for me, it broke us.”
The actress noted that in her grieving, she felt her and Bohn were moving apart from each other.
“I felt it was better if we just take different paths for now and he agreed,” she explained. “I just know it was the best decision for us.”
When her mother passed away, Bellino paid tribute to her in an emotional Instagram post.
“Momma, you are finally free. You can walk again, cook, dance, hold a glass, talk, hug, laugh,” she wrote. “You are out of that horrible body that kept you prisoner for the past three years.”
“You put up the strongest fight I’ve ever seen,” Bellino continued. “My promise to you is that I will make sure the UCLA brain donor program finds out what robbed you of your beautiful life at such a young age, and we will help others so that your torture was not in vain.”
Bellino revealed in July 2021 that her mother was battling an “undiagnosed” illness.
Now the former Bravo star has broken off her engagement, she is dating again, and knows what she needs in her next relationship.
“I don’t want anyone controlling, but I don’t want anyone too passive,” she said. “I definitely am looking for someone who is spiritual. They don’t have to be super successful, but I just need someone driven and motivated.”
Another important trait is making her laugh.
“Good, well-rounded humor is important to me. You have to be funny. If we don’t laugh together, there’s a problem,” Bellino said. “I want to be laughing all day long. That’s kind of what I’m looking for.”
Bellino was previously married twice. She married her first husband, Jeff Barry, in 2002, and they divorced in 2004. She tied the knot in 2005 with Jim Bellino, and they divorced in 2018 after 13 years of marriage. They have three children, James, 16, and twins Miles and Mackenna, 15.
After the traumatic passing of her mother, and ending her engagement, Alexis said she has found peace with Jim.
“We’re in a really great place right now. We’ve definitely gone through some turmoil,” she said. “This is probably the best place we’ve been in since the divorce. We’ve realized we need to be friends. It’s healthier for the kids, it’s healthier for he and I. “
