A long-time friend of Real Housewives of New Jersey star Milania Giudice has passed away following a “devastating fall” at a tourist spot in Florida.
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In a recent Instagram post by Victoria Silberbusch, it was revealed that Giudice’s childhood friend Victoria Zardoya died on July 26 while vacationing at Egmont Key, an island just off the coast of Tampa Bay.
“On July 24, 2026, what began as a fun, innocent day on the water with both old and new friends ended in an unimaginable and unexpected tragedy,” the post reads. “A beautiful 20-year-old woman named Victoria Zardoya, who had flown to Florida for the weekend to visit friends, sustained fatal injuries due to a devastating fall while we were all exploring the historic ruins at Fort Dade on Egmont Key.”
Silberbusch then shared, “We had actually been getting ready to leave and head to another spot when it all happened. Everything changed in a matter of seconds.”
Silberbusch shared photos/videos from the trip, including a clip showing where Zardoya had fallen.
She further noted that the group first thought Zardoya had fallen only one level. However, as they all ran to the edge to call for her, the group quickly realized that she had fallen much farther than they initially believed.
“We immediately began climbing down to reach her while others called 911,” Silberbusch recalled. “Friends back at the boated launch flares to help first responders locate us as quickly as possible, and additional calls were made to communicate just how urgent the situation was.”
Everyone Tried to Help Zardoya Following Her Fall
Silberbusch stated that no one hesitated to help Zardoya. Every single member of the group jumped down to help her. She described Zardoya’s injuries as being “brutal.”
“We stayed with Victoria and held her,” Silberbusch continued. “Trying to make her as comfortable as possible while we waited for first responders to arrive.”
Although paramedics were able to get her to a nearby hospital, Zardoya ultimately passed away on July 26 from the injuries she sustained.
Silberbusch stated she has replayed the day over and over in her mind.
“The laughter from just moments before,” she shared. “The videos. The eerie warnings.”
Silberbusch then noted, “The poignant song selection automatically chosen from TikTok. The knowing that it could have been any of us that slipped and fell that day.”
Silberbusch further recalled the look on Zardoya’s face and how their eyes locked when she realized she was falling.
“There are experiences that divide your life into a before and an after,” she pointed out. “This was one of them.”
Silberbusch stated that she is heartbroken for Zardoya’s family and for the friends who deeply loved her.
“I only hope they know this: Victoria was never alone,” Silberbusch added. “From the moment she fell, every person there did everything within their power to help her. She was surrounded by people who cared, people who fought for her, and people who refused to give up hope.”
Giudice broke her silence about the devastating loss, writing, “My sweet girl my best friend.”
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