How to Watch
Alexia Nepola’s life forever changed following son Frankie Rosello’s tragic 2011 car accident, making his recent medical emergency all the more triggering for The Real Housewives of Miami cast member.
During RHOM Season 7, Episode 8, Alexia detailed how Frankie, who’s now 28 years old, had been “profusely” vomiting and eventually ended up in the emergency room.
When her elder son, Peter Rosello, 32, stopped by the home she’s renting on Miami’s Venetian Islands, Alexia revealed that they “finally” had a diagnosis for Frankie: diverticulitis, which is “inflammation of irregular bulging pouches in the wall of the large intestine,” according to the Mayo Clinic.
“Basically, you have to control it with a diet,” Alexia explained to Peter. “I need everybody’s help. There’s certain things that trigger it, certain foods.”
How Alexia Nepola’s son Frankie’s health struggles impacted her family
Alexia further opened up about the toll Frankie’s recent three-day hospital stay had taken on both her and Peter, whom she said was “crying” when he walked into his brother’s room. Seeing him so emotional, she added, “took [her] back” to the dark time in 2011 when Frankie sustained a brain injury at age 13.
RELATED:Â Alexia Nepola Shares Major Updates on Sons Peter & Frankie Rosello: “Feeling Extra Grateful”
“The truth is, like, you’ve had it really hard,” Alexia tearfully told Peter, highlighting Frankie’s accident and the 2016 death of his stepfather, Herman Echevarria. “It was a lot, but now we’re good. I don’t want you to worry.”
In a confessional, the RHOM mom elaborated, “Peter’s life was so affected by his brother’s accident because he always saw his brother, instead of being the little brother, as the older brother. Like, he looked up to Frankie.”
Now, Alexia continued, Peter is “more mature” and more “at peace,” though. That’s partly why she previously asked him to be Frankie’s guardian, in the event that she can no longer take care of him.
RELATED:Â Alexia Nepola Drops “A Bomb” About Todd Divorce: “It’s a Roller Coaster”
“I’m getting older, and he will be responsible for his brother,” the Alexia + Frankie’s Beauty Bar owner told a producer. “It’s a big responsibility, but he believes, like, ‘I got this.'”
Frankie, meanwhile, said he was feeling “good” and encouraged them both to stop crying and feeling sad.
Why Alexia Nepola avoids discussing her and Todd Nepola’s divorce with her sons
Earlier on the same episode, Alexia explained that she and Frankie were living in the rental home on a month-to-month basis amid her then-ongoing divorce from Todd Nepola.
The reason? “Honestly, I don’t know where my life is right now,” she said. “I don’t know where I’m going. I don’t know what I’m doing tomorrow.”
As she told Peter, though, “For now, I’m very happy here,” to which he replied, “That’s important. You’ve just gotta keep yourself emotionally stable.”
When a producer pointed out that Alexia and Peter “seem to avoid talking about,” she confirmed the observation was accurate.
“I don’t like to involve my kids,” Alexia elaborated. “My kids have gone through so much. My pain is their pain. So, I think it’s just easier not to talk about Todd.”
Get more details on how Alexia’s sons reacted to her and Todd’s divorce.
