Katie Ginella shared her adoption story this season on Real Housewives of Orange County. She was adopted as a baby and spent some time searching for her birth mother in South Korea. On Episode 14, the RHOC newbie announced that she was planning a family trip to meet her.
That was the plan at the time of filming, but viewers invested in Katie’s story were interested to know if the Bravolebrity was able to follow through. And if she met her birth mother finally.
Katie Ginella recalls trying to look for her birth mother at the time of her divorce
Katie exclusively told Bravo that the trip is still pending due to unforeseen events. However, it’s still a priority.
“My husband and I, right now, are still planning our trip. My father-in-law passed away, so we kind of had to put it off for a little bit,” Katie shared. “I would like to go back. Even just to see where I’m from would be pretty magical for me.”
This is not the first time that life events delayed the meeting. Katie recalled pausing the procedure due to her divorce a decade ago.
“I tried looking for my birth mother about 10 or 11 years ago, but I was also getting divorced, I really didn’t want two big life things happening at the same, so I put it off and kind of compartmentalized it for a little bit. I wanted to turn 40 and enter into my 40s checking that off my bucket list,” she explained.
Katie “appreciated” her cast mates being so invested in her story
Katie regretted sharing so much with her cast mates during Episode 14, but she did acknowledge their support.
“I talk a little bit about my adoption experience with the women at a dinner in London,” she said. “I explain to people that I feel like my life is a beautiful puzzle, and I just have a bottom-right piece missing, I just want to put that puzzle piece in, and then I’ll feel whole.”
She added, “I haven’t really gotten close with everybody, but I think in that moment, every single woman — even Heather [Dubrow] with the odds we’re at — were really kind and really receptive and really wanted to hear what happens next and I appreciated that.”
Earlier in the season, Katie shared that her adoptive parents took her into their home in Georgia. She had no contact with her heritage growing up.
“I one hundred percent felt different growing up than my family,” she said in a confessional interview. “We didn’t talk about anything Korean, we didn’t eat Korean food, but [my daughter] Kaili has a big interest in her Korean roots. She’s taught herself to read Korean and speak Korean. So now, we’ll go out to eat at a Korean restaurant and my daughter will order for me. I’m like, ‘This is embarrassing.'”
It’s a moment of coming full circle for Katie, who wants Kaili to immerse herself in Korean heritage and meet her grandmother.
Catch Real Housewives of Orange County Thursdays at 9/8c on Bravo.
TELL US – WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO THE DELAY GOING TO KOREA? WHAT DO YOU THINK KATIE WILL DECIDE TO DO? DO YOU HAVE ANY REACTION TO HER COMMENTS?
