Melissa Gorga’s “little man” is all grown up.
On Friday, September 12, The Real Housewives of New Jersey mom hopped on social media to celebrate her son Gino Gorga’s 18th birthday. That’s right, the little toddler who made his Bravo debut in 2011 has officially entered adulthood. Melissa reflected on the milestone in a sweet Instagram carousel, featuring some of her boy’s most memorable moments. The montage included everything from football games and red carpet appearances to runway walks and previous birthdays.
Melissa Gorga shares birthday tribute to son Gino: “Welcome to manhood”
“My 1st born son is 18. Happy Birthday [Gino],” Melissa captioned the Reel. “Welcome to manhood- You’ve acted like a little man since you were so little. So polite and respectful from day one. The world is yours. Make us proud.”
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The post garnered dozens of birthday wishes from fans and Melissa’s fellow Housewives, including RHONJ’s Margaret Josephs, Dolores Catania, Danielle Cabral, and Rachel Fuda.
Joe Gorga celebrates his eldest son’s milestone birthday
Melissa’s husband, Joe Gorga, followed her lead, sharing a heartwarming birthday tribute that included throwback photos and adorable home videos.
“Happy birthday to my son [Gino],” the RHONJ dad wrote. “Keep making me a proud daddy. Love you so much.”
Has Gino Gorga started thinking about college?
Gino turned 18 just weeks after beginning his senior year of high school. Melissa touched on Gino’s post-graduation plans in the summer of 2024, saying her boy was undecided about college.
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“Maybe next year we’ll start to discuss that with Gino, but not yet,” she told BravoTV.com. “He’s just not sure yet.”
Melissa Gorga applauds Gino after he launched his own business
Melissa suggested she was confident that Gino would make the right decision and achieve success in whatever path he pursued. She also pointed out that her son had started his own fashion brand, Placidity Clothing — a move that underscored his strong work ethic and ambition.
“So Gino, all by himself with a good friend of his (Matteo DeMarco), without warning me, telling me, ordered the clothes without me [and] with their own money, [and] created a company called Placidity Clothing,” Melissa recalled. “And the meaning of placidity was so crazy to me… It kind of means, like, calm. It means chill. It means, kind of like, stay in your own lane. And I just thought it was so great.”
Melissa praised her son for being a self-starter, insisting “he’s always been like that.”
“That’s who Gino is,” she continued. “I always said he’s gonna be like the hardest worker in the family. He gets that both from Joe and I, but he’s got it all. He’s the one that’s always gonna be five steps ahead thinking about making money, thinking about business: That’s Gino, so I’m very proud of him.”
Melissa and Joe are also parents to high school sophomore Joey Gorga Jr. and college junior Antonia Gorga. See the incredible gift the latter received for her 20th birthday.
