After more than eight months of Ronnie Ortiz-Magro not appearing on an episode of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, he returned for a lunch with Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino during the show’s Aug. 11 episode. Ronnie met up with Mike during a trip to the east coast, which was filmed during the spring of 2022. “It’s been a long year,” Ronnie admitted. “It’s been a lot of just doing the right thing, being a full-time dad, and being sober. I’m living the best life I can, one day at a time.”
Mike previously went through a journey to sobriety, so he was able to relate to what Ronnie’s been going through. “I knew you were on the wrong road,” Mike admitted to Ron. “I knew you were on the road of redemption, and it’s a long road. But I heard you’re doing the right thing. Are you?” Ronnie confirmed that he was keeping things together. He had previously tried to get sober in the past, but phoned it in after his 30 days in treatment. This time, though, he’s stuck with it.
Ronnie also admitted to being in a “state of depression” amidst his troubles, but told Mike that he was getting back in the gym and focusing on a self-care routine. He also shared that he has custody of his daughter Ariana, 4, “basically full-time.” Ronnie revealed that he’s working on “improving” himself each day while trying to be the best father and friend he can be.
Mike asked Ronnie if he’d be ready to meet up with any of the other roommates, and Ronnie got emotional as he recalled being on the outs with his former castmates. “I definitely miss the roommates,” Ronnie said in a confessional. “This has been one of the hardest years I’ve ever had to face and I’ve been through some s***. I f***ed up. I understand and that’s part of recovery, as well. What matters is I got through it and I’m going to continue to get through it one day at a time.”
Ronnie told Mike he definitely wanted to meet up with the other roommates and “own up to [his] mistakes.” Mike admitted that Ronnie would have to make “individual” apologies to everyone, but said that he felt like it was “necessary” because his past “actions have affected everyone.”
Ronnie’s decision to leave the show in May 2021 came following his arrest for domestic violence the previous month. He had previously been arrested for another alleged domestic violence incident involving Jen Harley, the mother of his daughter, in Nov. 2019. Ronnie wound up not being charged in the April 2021 domestic violence case, but his issues at the time still led him to take a step back from Jersey Shore.
“After talking to the team at MTV, we have mutually agreed that I will step away from the show while I seek medical treatment for mental health issues that I’ve ignored for far too long,” Ronnie said. “My number one goal now is facing my issues head-on. This process will be difficult, but my number one priority is to get healthy and be the best man and the best father I can for my daughter.” Ronnie last appeared on the show briefly in Jan. 2022.