She’s had a challenging Season 7, both romantically and within the friend group, but Alexia Nepola shared on The Real Housewives of Miami After Show she’s getting by with help from one person in particular: her son, 28-year-old Frankie Rosello.
“To me, he’s just like my purpose. He’s like my life. I don’t know—I couldn’t live without him,” she declared to Marysol Patton. “That’s what it is. He had that purpose—we have that for each other.”
Alexia, Frankie, and Alexia’s other son Peter Rosello’s lives were changed when the then-13-year-old Frankie was injured in a major car crash in August 2011, leaving him suffering from a traumatic brain injury. During The Real Housewives of Miami Season 7, Alexia opened up about a more recent medical emergency for Frankie, who had been “profusely” vomiting and ended up in the emergency room with diverticulitis. Alexia admitted in Episode 8 that the emergency “took [her] back” to Frankie’s brain injury.
Referencing how her life has changed since Frankie’s initial accident, Alexia explained on the After Show, “It is a responsibility. I get up in the morning, and my morning and my life is a lot different from everybody else in the friend group.”
When Marysol accused Alexia of “making [her] cry,” Alexia admitted she was also tearing up.
“I was trying to keep the tears in. Obviously, when I talk about my kids, it’s my soft spot,” she shared. “But, thank God for my children, and my friends.”
Marysol Patton sheds light on Alexia Nepola’s life with son Frankie
In addition to Frankie’s recent health scare, Alexia has also been dealing with a divorce from her estranged husband Todd Nepola in Season 7—and the two have been navigating a roller coaster of hooking up and possible reconciliation. Marysol pointed out Alexia’s responsibility for her adult son just added to that stress.
“It’s heavy. I don’t think people realize that you have Frankie with you 24 hours a day,” Marysol explained on the After Show. “You drive him with you everywhere. You take him to work with you. It’s a lot of stress.”
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She added, “Even though for you it’s easy, and Frankie’s easy—it’s that. It’s the salon. It’s the show. You’re going through a divorce. You’ve gotta handle 7, 8 other women in a chaotic situation. It’s not very easy.”
Marysol also made a bold declaration: “You have more on your plate than everybody else. I have to say that. You really do.”
Alexia replied although she agreed, she’d “never really liked to use that as an excuse.”
“I don’t play victim,” Alexia shared. “I’ve accepted this is my life, and I’m grateful. And I love it.”
Alexia Nepola shares how Frankie helped her navigate her divorce from Todd
Alexia gave credit to one person for helping her through her difficult divorce: Frankie.
“By the way, if I wouldn’t have had Frankie by my side, I don’t know where I would be. Because he’s everything,” she shared on the After Show.
She admitted during Bravo Fan Fest in Miami in November 2024 that both Frankie and Peter had difficulty with her split from Todd.
“It’s been tough for Frankie because Frankie is all about love,” Alexia said at the time. “It’s been tough for both of them… I’ve seen Frankie more, his emotions. Peter holds everything in and he just wants me to be happy and he’s been there with me and supportive. But it’s been tough for all of us.”
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But Marysol reminded Alexia on the After Show that Frankie’s love of love and life is also a positive.
“He keeps you grounded about love. You could get very jaded. And very angry with life. But he reminds you of love,” Marysol told her.
Alexia agreed with her friend, replying, “He reminds me how blessed we are. How love is beautiful. How love is everything. How life is beautiful. So the fact that I have him, to me, he’s not a burden.”
Don’t miss Alexia spilling all about early seasons of RHOM and her evolution to a housewife today during a sit-down with Bravo Insider.