Who Is Kathy Wakile’s Mother, Maria Pierri?

On the July 1 episode of The Real Housewives of New Jersey, we were finally given a bit of a break from all the Teresa Giudice and Jacqueline Laurita drama as we watched Kathy Wakile and her family sit down for their traditional weekly dinner.

In the midst of a discussion about all of the turmoil within their family, Kathy’s mom, Maria Pierri, revealed to the cameras that her biological mother actually gave her up to her aunt when she was just 5 years old, because her aunt was unable to have children.

While Kathy and her sister Rosie couldn’t believe how strong their mother was, Maria explained that she grew up thinking of her aunt as her mother, though she missed her siblings dearly.

Today, Maria — or Nonni as she is affectionately called — is a devoted mother and grandmother who loves spending time with her family and whipping up delicious Italian meals for loved ones. 

You can even follow her on Twitter @NonniKnowsBest!