‘Jersey Shore’ Star Sammi ‘Sweetheart’ Reveals Sex of 1st Baby and Surprise Guest

“Jersey Shore” cast member Sammi “Sweetheart” Giancola is going to be a boy mom. In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Sammi shared that she and her fiancé, Justin May, are expecting a baby boy this August.

The couple found out the sex of their baby during a celebration on the Seaside Heights boardwalk — the same place where “Jersey Shore” series first began. Blue powder cannons revealed the big news as their friends, family, and castmates looked on.

“To be honest, I’m like, it’s a boy,” Sammi told PEOPLE. “I’m one of three girls, so I have two sisters. So for me, it’s very exciting to have a boy.”

Justin added that he’s already looking forward to life as a sports dad. “I can’t wait to just play sports,” he said. “Teaching my kid, coaching the Little League teams and stuff. It’s going to be exciting.”

This pregnancy comes after a long fertility journey for the couple. Sammi has opened up about her past miscarriage following a failed IVF round, which was discussed on “Jersey Shore: Family Vacation”. She credited Justin for being a constant source of support through it all.

Support Flows for Sammi and Justin Following Instagram Reveal

Shortly after the exclusive dropped, Sammi and Justin shared the news on Instagram with a carousel of sweet photos from their gender reveal.
“If you guessed BOY you were right! We love you little baby and can’t wait to meet you. Boy mom & dad to be.” They captioned. 

The post was quickly flooded with supportive comments from fans and friends, including “Jersey Shore” cast mates. Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino commented, “Congratulations” while one fan wrote, “Wishing you and your baby boy health and happiness!”

Another added, “I love how you did this at the shore on the boardwalk,” calling out the full-circle moment for longtime viewers.

Ronnie’s Surprise Appearance Sparks Jersey Shore Nostalgia

Fans also noticed a surprise guest in the PEOPLE photo gallery from the event — Sammi’s ex and “Jersey Shore” castmate Ronnie Ortiz-Magro. All cast members were in attendance, but Ronnie’s presence especially stood out given the couple’s highly publicized relationship history from the original series.

The party took place on the same boardwalk where their relationship first played out more than a decade ago. Sammi and Ronnie hadn’t appeared together on-screen for eight years until they briefly reunited on “Jersey Shore: Family Vacation” in 2024.

Reactions came in fast. “Ron there?!?!? oh this is growth,” one user commented. Another wrote, “Omg Ronnie supporting Sam we are healing!!!!!” Someone else added, “Is anyone else totally crashing out over Ron being there?! I feel like a child of divorce watching my parents finally come together.”

As Sammi commented on the entire moment, “It’s just very sentimental, meaningful all around.”