Zardoya was only 20.
According to reporting from People, Zardoya sustained severe injuries during the July 24 fall and was eventually transported by helicopter to a hospital. She died two days later, on July 26.
An account from Victoria Silberbusch, who was present during the incident, described the fall as a tragic accident and said that those present immediately attempted to reach Zardoya and summon emergency assistance.
An autopsy later determined that Zardoya died from craniocerebral trauma, with the medical examiner's office classifying the manner of death as an accident.
For Milania, the loss was particularly profound.
She described Victoria publicly not simply as a friend but as someone who had occupied a much deeper place in her life. In a tribute shared after the death, Milania called Victoria her best friend, her sister and her soulmate.
Her words conveyed the depth of a relationship that had developed over many years.
The tragedy became an important part of the context surrounding the Giudice family's subsequent public statements about Milania's struggles.
Teresa later said that her daughter had experienced “tremendous heartbreak and significant psychological trauma” after losing two close friends. The family has not publicly provided extensive details about every aspect of those losses, and Teresa's statements should be understood as her account of what her daughter has been experiencing.
For a young woman already dealing with an ongoing legal matter, the sudden death of a close friend added another painful dimension to an already difficult year.
The Airport Incident
The situation received renewed public attention in September following an incident at Tampa International Airport.
Milania was traveling with her mother Teresa, her sister Gia and a counselor when police became involved after an emotional confrontation. According to reporting based on police records and body-camera footage, Milania separated from the group and was later located by authorities.
The incident became particularly controversial after portions of the police body-camera footage were released publicly.
The footage showed Teresa attempting to communicate with her daughter while Gia also tried to intervene. Officers were present as the family attempted to deal with the situation.
The circumstances described in the footage were concerning enough that police discussed Milania's recent contact with a Florida mental-health facility. Reports have described her as having recently been released from a facility under Florida's Baker Act, a law that permits temporary involuntary psychiatric examination in certain circumstances involving an apparent risk of harm.
It is important, however, to distinguish what is shown or reported in the footage from independent medical conclusions. Publicly available reports do not provide a complete picture of Milania's medical circumstances, and the family has not disclosed every detail of her care.
The body-camera footage also captured statements concerning drugs and Milania's condition.
Teresa was heard telling officers that Milania had fentanyl in her system. Milania responded that she had been “laced,” according to reports on the footage. Those statements represent claims made during a highly emotional incident and should not be treated as an independently established account of how any substance entered her system.
The footage also showed Milania expressing frustration with her family and concern about being sent back to a psychiatric facility.
The exchange was emotional and, because it occurred in a public airport and was captured by police body cameras, it quickly became part of the public conversation surrounding the young reality-TV family.
Teresa Giudice’s Plea for Compassion
Following the airport incident and the release of footage, Teresa issued a lengthy public statement.
Her message represented a noticeable shift from simply addressing individual headlines to asking the public to consider the broader circumstances surrounding her daughter.
Teresa emphasized that, as a mother, her foremost concern was the health, safety and well-being of her children.
She said the preceding months had been extremely difficult for the family and described Milania as being in an especially vulnerable period.