Real Housewives of New Jersey alum Jacqueline Laurita has been through a lot of change in the past few years. She moved her family from Jersey to the West Coast and now lives in Orange County. She mended her relationship with Teresa Giudice and now they’re on friendly terms again.
But the one thing that has never changed is Jacqueline’s dedication to being a mom. Jacqueline has three children: Ashlee Holmes (34), Christopher (22), and Nicholas (15).
Nick was diagnosed at the age of three with autism. Ever since then, Jacqueline has devoted her life to doing everything she can to help him.
RHONJ OG Jacqueline Laurita shared a sweet Instagram including her son Nicholas Laurita
On April 18, Jacqueline shared a sweet Instagram from her road trip with Nick. They were driving from their home in California to visit family in Vegas.
“I love Nick’s smile!” she captioned the video. “He’s excited to visit his family in Las Vegas!”
Bravo viewers first met Nicholas shortly after Jacqueline gave birth, just prior to RHONJ Season 2. He was a healthy, happy baby. But around 18 months old, Jacqueline began noticing changes in him. They sought medical help when his speech and motor skills seemed to regress. She went public with her son’s diagnosis with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in 2012.
“I can’t help but remember how I felt when Nicholas got his Autism diagnosis,” she wrote on Instagram in honor of Autism Awareness Month in April 2021. “I’ll also always remember how I felt during his regression, before his actual diagnosis. It hurt my heart SO deeply! It was (and still is at times) extremely difficult to see him struggle with things that come so easily to his peers.”
Despite his challenges, Jacqueline continued, “Nicholas is loving and brilliant! He has an incredible memory, amazing sense of humor and a light within him that shines through with loving energy. He brings so much joy to my life and our family.”
“It may not have been the childhood I had originally imagined for him,” she continued, “but it has been just as wonderful seeing him learn, grow and evolve. We celebrate every new word spoken and new skill attempted and/or mastered!”
So glad to hear that Nick is thriving and bringing such joy to his family.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey is streaming on Peacock and Hayu in the UK and Ireland.
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This story originally appeared on Realitytea
