In one sense, Thursday night’s Real Housewives of Orange County reunion was humorous, as Vicki Gunvalson went off on a co-star’s penchant for nudity and same-sex kissing.
In another sense, however, this special was troubling and traumatic.
Most notably when Gina Kirschenheiter detailed the terrible abuse she suffered at the hands of Matt Kirschenheiter.
Gina broke down into tears on the reunion, recounting the details of the alleged attack, which she says occurred back on June 22 — a month after Bravo cameras had stopped shooting.
At the time, Gina and Matt had reconciled, their 11-year relationship and eight-year marriage another try after previously separating in April 2018 and filing for divorce.
Gina said on stage she was motivated to do so for the sake of her three children:
Daughter Sienna, 5, and sons Nicholas, 7, and Luca, 4.
Where did it all go horribly wrong?
The two got into a serious argument at Gina’s home this summer, according to court documents obtained by The Blast, where Matt allegedly choked Gina… hit her… dragged her… threw her … and threatened to kill her.
This all suppoosedly took place while their three young kids were sleeping in the other room/
Matt has thus far denied all allegations.
“He just was like a different person,” Gina said on Thursday’s reunion.
“I was really scared. I ran out of the house, and I rang my neighbor’s doorbell, and I was banging on the door. And he dragged me back in the house.”
Gina finalized her divorce from Matt about two months after this incident.
“A lot of the neighbors heard. They all called the police and then the cops came, they arrested him,” Gina said, through tears, to Andy Cohen yesterday. “It was scary. It was really scary.”
Kirschenheiter was charged with two felonies for the alleged incident by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office for allegedly grabbing Gina and dragging her on the pavement back into the house after she fled.
If convicted, he faces up to four years in prison for domestic violence and up to an additional three for false imprisonment.
He has pleaded not guilty, but here is his mug shot:
In her aforementioned legal papers, Gina alleged that there had been “other incidents that have scared [her] in the past … too many to remember,” including an argument in August 2018 involving a shotgun.
Despite their alleged fight, Gina told Cohen at the reunion that she still had compassion for Matt. adding that he had “immediately” apologized the next day and even sent her flowers.
“I do feel bad, because I feel like he cracks,” she explained.
“And I do feel that some of this is because of the show. He knew at this point that I had shared a lot of this on the show, and it’s not an excuse, but it’s really hard.”
In conclusion?
‘I look at myself like a strong person, but I just think I’m always like, ‘I can hold it together,’ and thought I could handle everything,” Gina said. “And, I don’t know, I didn’t see it. I thought it was normal.”
Kirschenheiter also said that she and Matt are now peacefully co-parenting.
“I just know that it’s so better that we’re not together,” she told Cohen, of herself and Matt. “I don’t even want anything. I just want out.”