Turning the Tables: From Housewife to Inmate and Back Again (34 page)

My daughters and I relaxing on the grounds of the camp during a Mother’s Day celebration. We ran races and did arts and crafts that day. We had so much fun, but it was hard to say goodbye to them.

Posing with some of the friends I made while I served time at Danbury. We went through a lot together, and I will never forget them.

Sitting on a rock on the prison’s beautiful grounds. I spent a lot of time outside, by myself, doing a lot of thinking. That helped ground me and keep me sane in there.

My beautiful family during one of their many visits. I couldn’t wait to see them every time they came to see me. I loved when we were allowed to go outside together.

My family loved seeing me with curly hair! This is the first time they had seen me wear my hair like this in years.

Hanging with some of my favorite ladies in Danbury. Life wasn’t always easy there, but we made each other laugh and had some good times that I will always treasure.

FROM TERESA GIUDICE:

First and foremost, I would like to thank God for blessing me and protecting me and my loved ones.

I want to thank my mother and father for instilling in me their old-world values and traditions that have made me the person I am today.
Mamma e Papè, vi amo con tutto il mio cuore.

I want to thank my husband, Joe, for being the love of my life and my rock, and for being the amazing Mr. Mom I always knew you were. I love you.

To my four beautiful angels, Gia, Gabriella, Milania, and Audriana: I love you more than I can put into words. You make my heart smile and I am proud to be your mother every single day. I love each of you to infinity and beyond.

To my brother, Joey: This story is just as much yours as it is mine. Our family will always come first. Nothing else matters. I love you.

To my mother-in-law, Filomena: Thank you for all your help with the girls and for being a wonderful Nonna. I want to give a special dedication to my father-in-law, Franco Giudice. You will always be in our hearts. We love you and will miss you always.

To Cousin Teresa: Thank you for doing so much to help Joe and our daughters. You are amazing. You are what family is all about.

To my sisters-in-law, Sheila, Maria, and Melissa: Thank you for looking out for the girls and having all of those playdates with the cousins. Family is everything.

To my brothers-in-law, Pete and Duma: Thank you for your strength and for being there for us.

To my wonderful nieces and nephews, Antonia, Gino, Joey, Miranda, Simona, Lilliana, Sianna, Julianna, Alessandra, and Olivia: Your Zia Teresa loves you all to the moon and back.

To John and Kim, Rosanna and John, Lisa and Dana: Thank you for showing Joe and me the true meaning of friendship over the years.

To Dina Manzo: Thank you for your amazing friendship and for always being loyal to me and for being a wonderful godmother to Audriana.

To Lisa G.: You have been an amazing friend, not just to me, but to my four daughters as well. You’re like the sister I never had. Love you, girl. And I would like to thank your wonderful family for the kindness they have shown to my family.

To my make-up artist, Priscilla DiStasio, and my hair stylist, David Antunes: Thank you both for always being there and remaining loyal through the years. You are both true friends.

To my bankruptcy attorney, Carlos Cuevas: Thank you for everything. I am so happy to be working with you.

To my lawyer and friend, Jim Leonard: Thank you for coming into my life and helping me when I needed someone like you the most. I wish I met you sooner. Thank you for always looking out for me.

To my very special friend, Victoria Gotti: Thank you for always being there for me and for helping me to stay strong.

To Andy Cohen: Thank you for always having my back and for all of your support. I’m really sorry I pushed you at the Season Two reunion.

To Lucilla D’Agostino, Caroline Self, Jacob Huddleston, and everyone at Sirens Media, as well as Frances Berwick, Shari Levine, Todd Radnitz, and everyone at Bravo, thank you for continuing to believe in me and my family.

To my fellow Housewives who reached out and were there for me: Lisa Vanderpump, Nene Leakes, Dorinda Medley, Jill Zarin, Teresa and Rino Aprea, and Nicole Napolitano: I want to thank all of you for your support. It means so much to me.

To Louise Burke, Jennifer Bergstrom, Nina Cordes, Jennifer Robinson, Jennifer Weidman, Elisa Rivlin, Liz Psaltis, John Vairo, Alysha Bullock, Susan Rella, Jaime Putorti, and everyone at Simon & Schuster/Gallery Books, and to Frank Weimann and everyone at Folio Literary Management: Thank you for believing in this book and for helping me to share my story with the world.

To Portrait Artistry by Linda Marie, Neal Clipper from Abbey Photographers, Michael Todd, Steve Gardner, Andrew Coppa, and Dave Kotinsky: Thank you for the photos. You do amazing work . . .

To Dana Levine, her amazingly inspirational son, Matthew, and the entire Levine family: I love you all and thank you for allowing me to be a part of your lives.

To Anna D., Rose and Leah, Nicole P., Linda B., cousin Josephine, Diane P., and everyone who took the time to come and visit me at Danbury: You don’t know how much that means to me. Thank you.

To Aunt Anna, my godmother Domenica, Cousin Christina G., Dana T., Julie B., Tina S., Giovanna D., Jackie R., Cynthia I., Robynand Christina, Maritza Z., Gina A., Steve D., Stacey G., Karianne F., Cindy K., Alisa Maria D., Julie R., Rosanna N., Kim D., Julie J. Robyn K., Mrs. Monaghan, and Tracey C., every one of your cards, emails, or pictures you sent me of the girls helped me get through this. Thank you.

To Roxanne at
allabouttrh.com
, thank you for always taking the time to check the facts and caring enough to get it right.

To the ladies at FCI Danbury: Keep your heads held high and your minds strong. I will never forget the time we spent together.

To all of my amazingly loyal and supportive fans from all over the world, who never turned their backs on me and have been with me on this crazy journey, including all of the Trehuggers out there and my superfans Michele Scapeccia and Jason Kelly: I love, love, love, love each and every one of you.

And last, but certainly not least, to K.C. Baker for allowing me to open up to you and spread my wings with you as an author. We laughed, we cried, and somehow, we got it done. You have a huge heart and I am so thankful you are in my life. I cannot thank you enough.

I Love, Love, Love, Love You All . . .

XO

Teresa Giudice

2016

FROM K.C. BAKER:

When I agreed to help Teresa write her memoir, I had no idea that I was about to embark on one of the most exciting, fun—and intense—journeys of my entire life. What a ride it’s been!

Like Teresa, I would like to first thank God for all the blessings in my life and for always looking out for me and my children.

I am so grateful to my dad, Jim; my mom, Grace; and my sister, Jennifer (who is fondly known as Jackie) for always rooting for me, giving me the most amazing advice and for just being there for me. I couldn’t do the things I do and be the person I am without your unending love, support, and encouragement. I love you so much.

I also want to thank Aunt Gerry, Jeffrey, cousins Peter, Vic, and Lynne, and the rest of my big, beautiful family for all your support and love.

I want to give a huge thank you to the stellar team at Gallery Books and Simon & Schuster, including Louise Burke, Jennifer Bergstrom, Jennifer Robinson, Liz Psaltis, John Vairo (who designed our gorgeous book jacket!), Marla Daniels, Loan Le, the amazing production team—Alysha Bullock, Susan Rella, and Jaime Putorti—and most of all, my editor, the incomparable Nina Cordes. I couldn’t have asked for a more talented editor, who always stayed calm no matter what came our way. You made this project an absolute pleasure . . .

I want to give a big thank you to my agent, Jacqueline Flynn of Joelle Delbourgo Associates for your sage guidance and for the many calls you took from me during this project. I also want to thank Teresa’s agent, Frank Weimann of Folio Literary Management, who was an integral part of this book. Thank you both for being there for me.