“Next Gen NYC” star Gia Giudice became the champion of “Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test” season 4 on November 20 alongside former Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson East. Following her major win, she opened up about her change in perspective after her mom Teresa Giudice left the competition early.
Teresa’s Decision to Leave ‘Special Forces’
Teresa withdrew from the competition before her daughter took on the milling challenge, which had recruits pitted against each other in a fight. “There was no way that I would be able to sit there and watch my daughter get punched as a mom,” Teresa told PEOPLE, referring to the reason why she quit.
“I would’ve probably definitely jumped in and I knew… And I didn’t want to show my daughter me actually fighting either,” she admitted. “I’m sure Gia would’ve did the same for me or maybe not. Maybe she would’ve restrained herself because we were on ‘Special Forces.'”
“But I just didn’t want to show my daughter. I didn’t want to see her getting hit and I didn’t want her to see me fighting,” Teresa said.
It still “took everything” in her “to leave,” the competition early. She even “cried going home in the airport.”
“Even when I got home, I was crying. My husband [Luis Ruelas] was like, ‘what’s wrong with you?’ And I was just so upset.”
Teresa concluded, “but I knew she was going to be okay. I know my kid, so I knew she was going to be fine.”
Gia’s Self-Reflection After Teresa’s Departure
The nine-day physical and mental endurance trial put the relationship between the “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star, 53, and her daughter, 24, to the test leading up to Teresa’s early leave.
When the directing staff pulled Gia for an interrogation following her mom’s exit, she admitted in an interview with PEOPLE that she was “a mess” because she didn’t expect Teresa to leave.
However, after the show’s staff shared their observations of the mother-daughter dynamic with Gia, she experienced a positive mindset shift.
“They said, ‘we watched you look out for your mom so much, and you might not see it right now, but that was taking a lot of your energy,'” Gia recalled. “I didn’t see it then, but then as each day went on, I just kept getting stronger and stronger, and it was honestly so nice to feel that for myself.”
Gia revealed that, prior to going on the show together, she had already told her mom that she would stay even if she left.
“I just didn’t expect her to go out that way,” Gia admitted. “I totally understand her reasoning behind it. It’s a lot. When you’re there, you’re thinking about so many things and your perspective about things really changes.”
Gia & Teresa’s Reaction to Her Victory
Gia and Teresa share their reactions to her win on “Special Forces” in an interview with Entertainment Tonight.
“Honestly, no,” Gia said, referring to whether or not she thought she’d come out as the winner. “I didn’t. And it’s funny because when you guys see it, I don’t know if they’re gonna show it, but, like, I, like, smiled, like I grinned when I realized it was me and Shawn standing there.”
When explaining how proud Teresa was when she took home the win, Gia said, “she was so proud, it was so cute. When I came home, she had this whole banner made for me and with balloons, it was ‘Special Forces’ winner, it was so cute.”
Despite being proud, Teresa still remained worried over her daughter. “She couldn’t wait for me to come home. She was distraught,” Gia said, especially because “she knew the kind of stuff we were doing.”
When Teresa was asked what her reaction was to Gia’s win, she explained that after she withdrew, she was required to see a psychiatrist, and she told them, “my daughter’s winning.”
“She’s amazing. She takes after her momma. Like, she got this,” Teresa gushed. “I’m so proud of her. She tells me I inspire her, but she inspires me. All my daughters do. So proud of them.”
I am so proud of Gia! I want quite sure she would make it. But then she started killing it! I knew she would go all the way! CONGRATS!
Congrats to BOTH of the winners, Gia AND Shawn! None of the men “survived” — but two women DID! AND, they were the smallest of the lot!!
That’s why women are the chosen ones to give birth lol