Teresa Giudice‘s husband Joe, 47, has been behind bars — either in a federal prison or I.C.E. custody — since March of 2016 and in that time she and their four daughters have bonded in a close way they never imagined possible. Now that he’s received permission to leave the Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody and move to Italy to await the results of his deportation appeal, he might never be allowed to return to the U.S. The couple’s eldest daughter Gia, 18, has made sure that her three younger sisters are coping with the finality of it all. “Joe Giudice going back to Italy has brought Teresa’s girls even closer than ever, so in a way, she looks at this whole situation as a blessing in disguise,” a source close to the Real Housewives of New Jersey star tells HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY.

“Gia is so instrumental in all of this and she even left Rutgers immediately when she heard Joe was going back to Italy just to be there with her sisters. Gia is so mature and amazing and has been another rock for Teresa. She just wants this to all be over for her daughters. Though there are no plans to visit yet, she of course will figure out something for the girls to see their father,” our insider adds.

Gia went through so many important life experiences with her dad behind bars and her 47-year-old mom has been helping the teen navigate her future. She graduated from high schoo in June of 2019 and is now a freshman at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Fortunately, she stayed close to home to be there for her mom and sisters, and Teresa is actually enjoying being a collegiate mother. She attended the school’s October 5 home football game against Maryland and although they lost 48-7, mom and daughter were all smiles.

In an Instagram pic of the two, Teresa wore a red t-shirt that read “Rutgers Mom” along with a black Hermes belt and black pants with a Gucci fanny pack around her waist. Gia beamed a bright smile next to her mom in a Rolling Stones logo shirt. Looking good ladies, even amid Joe’s drama!

Photo: Instagram

Original article: https://hollywoodlife.com/2019/10/06/teresa-giudice-joe-returning-italy-blessing-daughters-closer/