RHONJ star Milania Giudice’s late friend’s cause of death revealed

Milania Giudice’s late childhood friend Victoria Zardoya’s cause of death has been revealed following a delayed autopsy. 

Zardoya suffered a ‘devastating fall’ on July 24 while exploring historic ruins in Florida. Just days later, she pᴀssed away after sustaining fatal injuries at the age of 20.

A spokesperson for the District 12 Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed Zardoya’s cause of death on Wednesday to Us Weekly. 

‘I can confirm that after organ donation, the autopsy was completed on August 3, 2026. The cause of death was Craniocerebral Trauma and the manner of death is Accident.’ 

Craniocerebral trauma, also known as traumatic brain injury (TBI), refers to ‘a brain injury that is caused by an outside force. 

‘A forceful bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body can cause it, but not all blows or jolts to the head result in a TBI,’ per the National Insтιтute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. 

Milania Giudice’s late childhood friend Victoria Zardoya’s cause of death has been revealed following a delayed autopsy

A spokesperson for the District 12 Medical Examiner’s Office told Us Weekly: ‘I can confirm that after organ donation, the autopsy was completed on August 3, 2026. The cause of death was Craniocerebral Trauma and the manner of death is Accident’

Milania’s mother, Teresa Giudice, addressed the ‘devastating’ loss of her daughter’s best friend.

The TV personality, who shared an emotional tribute to Zardoya over the past weekend, opened up about the 20-year-old’s heartbreaking pᴀssing during an interview with Us Weekly also published on Wednesday. 

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‘She just lost her best friend. It’s devastating,’ Giudice said of her daughter Milania. The Real Housewives Of New Jersey star then encouraged fans to send prayers for Zardoya’s family. 

The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for Giudice as well as the District 12 Medical Examiner’s Office for comment, but has yet to hear back. 

The Real Housewives star also paid tribute to Zardoya with an Instagram post shared over the past weekend. 

She uploaded a series of pH๏τos of her daughter’s late best friend from over the years, writing that her pᴀssing ‘doesn’t seem real.’ 

‘My sweet beautiful Victoria @_victoriazardoya this just doesn’t seem real. You were like a daughter to me and an incredible built in best friend and sister to @milania.ggiudice.’

Giudice added, ‘I watched the two of you grow up into such beautiful young women, and seeing you both follow your dreams at the University of Tampa warmed my heart because I always knew she had you by her side.’ 

Milania’s mother, Teresa Giudice, addressed the ‘devastating’ loss of her daughter’s best friend after her tragic death; Giudice and Zardoya seen above 

The Real Housewives star also paid tribute to Zardoya with an Instagram post shared over the past weekend

She uploaded a series of pH๏τos of her daughter’s late best friend from over the years, writing that her pᴀssing ‘doesn’t seem real’

She reflected on memories of Milania and Zardoya as children and said Zardoya had been ‘so full of life – kind, ambitious, and unstoppable. 

‘You had the biggest heart and the brightest future ahead of you. I can’t believe I’m writing this right now. The thought of you not walking through my front door anymore doesn’t feel real. It feels like a nightmare I keep hoping I’ll wake up from.’ 

Giudice concluded her post by adding, ‘Heaven gained one of the most beautiful souls, and I know you’ll be watching over all of us. 

‘You will be loved, missed, and remembered forever.’ 

Milania also uploaded a separate Instagram post to her own account to further reflect on her best friend’s tragic death. 

‘My Victoria. My best friend. My sister. My soulmate. My partner in crime. There are no words in any language that could ever describe losing you.

‘I still wait for your name to pop up on my phone, I still expect to hear your laugh, and I still catch myself wanting to tell you something. My heart keeps forgetting what my mind already knows.’

She added, ‘But one thing I know for sure is that every chapter of my life has your name in it.’

Milania also uploaded a separate Instagram post to her own account to further reflect on her best friend’s tragic death

‘My Victoria. My best friend. My sister. My soulmate. My partner in crime. There are no words in any language that could ever describe losing you,’ she wrote

Milania recalled meeting Zardoya when they were four and how they had grown up close together

Milania recalled meeting Zardoya when they were four and how they had grown up close together. 

The media personality later expressed that she ‘would do anything to change’ her friend’s sudden pᴀssing. 

‘We had too many plans, too many dreams, and too much life left to live together.’

She also sent a message to Zardoya’s parents, thanking them for giving her ‘a second family.’

‘And the most Victoria thing of all… you are still giving love. Through your organ donation, you are saving 8 lives and giving other families more time with the people they love.

‘I promise I will keep telling your stories. I will stand beside Alexandra and your family forever. Forever my best friend. Forever my sister. Forever my Victoria. We had one hell of a ride, kid.’

Last week, the twin sister of Giudice’s late childhood friend broke silence just days after the tragic death of her sibling. 

Alexandra Zardoya shared a post which included pH๏τos of the pair from over the years.

And in the caption, she called her sibling ‘a hero’ while admitting ‘half of my heart will forever be broken.’

Last week, the twin sister of Giudice’s late childhood friend broke silence just days after the tragic death of her sibling; Zardoya and her twin sister Alexandra seen above

And in the caption, she called her sibling ‘a hero’ while admitting ‘half of my heart will forever be broken’

‘I can’t believe this is real life. Tears are falling down my cheeks as I type every word,’ Alexandra began. ‘My twin sister, my other half, we were in the womb together, and ever since then we have been inseparable.’

She continued, ‘You are the only person in this world who truly understood every single part of me. You truly were a light in everyone’s life, especially mine.’

Alexandra said that Zardoya was ‘everything and more to me’ before sharing that her twin sister’s death feels like ‘a bad dream’ that she could still wake up from.

I don’t know what I am going to do without you by my side,’ she emotionally wrote while opening up about their special bond.

‘We shared a life, a heart, a soul, and a love unlike anything I will ever experience again. Half of my heart will forever be broken. It was always supposed to be me and you till the end, Vic.’

She added that her twin was ‘intelligent, caring, and endlessly empathetic’ as well as ‘the funniest person I knew.’

Alexandra expressed that she ‘admired’ how Zardoya ‘lived every day in the moment and were unapologetically yourself.’

She also penned, ‘You were the reason why I could keep going. You are my person and no one will ever compare to you.

‘You didn’t deserve to go so soon. You were only twenty years old. Such a young soul filled with so much life.’

‘You didn’t deserve to go so soon. You were only twenty years old. Such a young soul filled with so much life,’ Alexandra added

She also opened up about her twin sister’s choice to be an organ donor. ‘Because of your selfless choice eight people will have a second chance at life. You are a hero, Victoria’

Alexandra continued, ‘I wish I could go to your room right now, give you the biggest hug, and hear your beautiful voice and contagious laugh one more time.’

She also opened up about her twin sister’s choice to be an organ donor.

‘Because of your selfless choice eight people will have a second chance at life. You are a hero, Victoria.’

At the end of the caption, Alexandra promised that she will make her sister ‘proud and live out your name everyday of my life.

‘I’ll miss you for eternity, Vic. To the loudest, craziest, funniest, happiest, most loving, and most stunning human being on this planet, I know wherever you are right now, you’re living it up. May you rest in peace, my love. Till we meet again, best friend.’

Alexandra included pH๏τos of both herself and Victoria from their childhood up until recent years.

Zardoya’s shock pᴀssing was announced by Giudice’s father and RHONJ star Joe Giudice, who revealed she had had a ‘simple fall’

Victoria Silberbusch, a friend of the late student, revealed Zardoya had flown down to Florida to visit friends for the weekend before her fatal fall on July 24

Zardoya’s shock pᴀssing was announced by Giudice’s father and RHONJ star Joe Giudice, who revealed she had had a ‘simple fall.’

Victoria Silberbusch, a friend of the late student, revealed Zardoya had flown down to Florida to visit friends for the weekend before her fatal fall on July 24.

She wrote that Zardoya ‘sustained fatal injuries due to a devastating fall while we were exploring the historic ruins at Fort Dade on Egmont Key.’ 

Her friends initially believed she had only fallen one level ‘but quickly realized she had fallen much further than we first believed.’ 

Silberbusch added, ‘Every single one of us jumped into immediate action’ and ‘did everything they possibly could to help her.’

She wrote that Zardoya ‘sustained fatal injuries due to a devastating fall while we were exploring the historic ruins at Fort Dade on Egmont Key’; Fort Dade at Egmont Key seen above

Zardoya was transported to the hospital by medical helicopter and the friend typed that she ‘was never alone’

Zardoya was transported to the hospital by medical helicopter and the friend typed that she ‘was never alone.’ 

‘From the moment she fell, every person did everything in their power to help her. She was surrounded by people who cared, people who fought for her and people who refused to give up hope…’

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office told The Daily Mail in a statement, ‘On July 24, 2026, at approximately 6:08pm, our Marine Unit responded after receiving reports that an individual had fallen from one of the structures on Egmont Key.

‘Zardoya was airlifted to a local hospital in critical condition, where she remained until being pronounced deceased on July 27, 2026.’