Carmella Garcia and her boyfriend Danny Hampel have “called it quits.”
Speaking to Page Six’s “Virtual Reali-Tea” podcast on Thursday, September 17, the Real Housewives of Orange County star, 44, confirmed the couple had split “months ago” after 10 years together.
Carmella told the outlet she had mixed feelings about the break-up.
“I feel a range of emotions,” Carmella said. “I feel sad. It was a 10-year relationship. It was somebody that was around my children. But, at the end of the day, I needed to put myself first.”
The show that launched a global phenomenon is back and ready for another juicy season. On Thursday, June 11, Bravo released the official trailer for season 20 of The Real Housewives of Orange County. Shannon Storms Beador, Heather Dubrow, Tamra Judge, Gina Kirschenheiter, Emily Simpson and Jennifer Pedranti are back for more fun as they […]
While Carmella did not specify what exactly caused the split, she claimed that Danny had done something “gravely inappropriate” after RHOC’s season 20 wrapped.
“It was a very difficult situation because it was somebody that I loved very deeply, and I truly did want to get to a place of forgiveness, but I oftentimes ignore my intuition and there was just something deep down that I felt like I just didn’t trust,” she told the outlet. “The dishonesty just continued and I called it quits.”
Carmella added that the split had affected her sons, Jason, 17, and Jax, 15. (Carmella shares Jason and Jax with her ex-husband, former NFL quarterback Jeff Garcia. The former couple also share daughters Presley, 18, and Faith, 14.)
Carmella Garcia. (Photo: Bravo / Courtesy Everett Collection)
“I have to be enough for myself and for him and for my children, and I was never enough for him,” she said. “That’s an issue that I feel like is his issue.”
Describing the relationship with Danny as unhealthy, Carmella continued, “If I could change it for him, I would, but I can’t. The ship was sinking and I needed to save myself.”
Carmella admitted it was tough watching their relationship on RHOC and added that she has enlisted the help of therapists to move forward.
“I’ve struggled over the years [with] suppressing pain, and I felt like this is exactly where I needed to be,” she said. “I needed to walk through it, and the only way through it is straight through it.”
Carmella and Danny’s relationship problems have been shown on RHOC, with episode 6 showing some of their issues.
“It’s been about four years since Danny’s infidelity. And, admittedly, I do have a wall of resentment.” Carmella said on episode 6, adding, “But I do love him, I do want to live life with him, I do need to know how to forgive, and not just for him, but for myself. I just have to figure out how to do it.”
For his part, Danny told Carmella during the episode that he wanted to restore the feelings they had in the initial stages of their relationship.
“I just want you back to where you felt like the way you did in the beginning,” Danny told her at the time. “I understand you can’t get there, but.”
Carmella told him, “I’m not getting over it. I made it through it, but I’m not getting over it.”
