A good intention? Jennifer Aydin is giving some context on why Luis Ruelas decided to wear pajamas that once belonged to Teresa Giudice’s late father.
“Teresa was cleaning out No-No’s clothes and [there] were a brand new pair of pajamas,” the Real Housewives of New Jersey star, 45, exclusively told Us Weekly on Monday, March 27, while fundraising for her NJ Relief Fund, which provides necessities for earthquake victims in Turkey and Syria. “I’ve done the same thing where it was like, ‘Oh, my God, these are so — these are brand new. These are great. Do you want ’em?’ And I think Luis was like, ‘Oh, my God, they were meant for No-No, I would love them as a part of No-No.’”
Ruelas, 47, made headlines when he revealed to his wife’s brother, Joe Gorga, that he dons their late father’s loungewear to bed in support of his stepdaughters in a preview for the March 28 episode of RHONJ. “I live with your four nieces,” Ruelas told Gorga, 43, in the clip. “I wear your father’s pajamas at night to make them feel safe and loving, do you know that?”
Aydin, for her part, came to Ruelas’ defense for the interaction with his brother-in-law.
“The things that he was saying was just so that Joe could see how much he loves Teresa and how much he cares,” the New York native explained. “I understand that seeing it the way that it was presented in that context, it probably came off as a little strange to people. But when you know Luis, you could see he’s just trying to keep the peace.”
Giudice, 50, and her brother lost their father in April 2020, three years after losing their mother.
“When someone passes away, you keep their T-shirt, don’t you? You sleep in their T-shirt or something,” Aydin said to Us. “Everyone’s like trying to be such a hater with Luis and, like, all I see is him trying to do the right thing.”
Despite the siblings’ loss, Giudice and Gorga have had their fair share of ups and downs over the years. Most recently, the feud between the siblings hit a boiling point when Joe and his wife, Melissa Gorga, ultimately decided to skip the Dancing With the Stars alum’s wedding to the businessman in August 2022.
“Joe and Melissa made a last-minute decision to not attend Teresa’s wedding after a blowout fight,” a source told Us Weekly exclusively at the time, adding that the couple “planned on attending” the ceremony before their argument. “Teresa may not forgive Joe after this and vice versa,” the insider shared, noting that the Turning the Tables author “continues to attack Melissa, and Joe isn’t standing for it anymore.”
While the brother-sister duo hope to make amends in season 13 of the Bravo series, Aydin is working on raising money to provide relief for Turkey and Syria after a series of deadly earthquakes occurred there last month. The Bravo personality created her NJ Relief Fund which buys necessary supplies for the victims. According to Aydin, Giudice, Andy Cohen and Dolores Cantania have already contributed to the effort.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey airs Tuesdays on Bravo at 9 p.m. ET.
