Snooki’s Tearful First Call With Birth Mother After 37 Years

Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi experienced a life-changing virtual encounter during Thursday’s episode of “Jersey Shore: Family Vacation” when she connected with her birth mother with help from a translator and genealogist. The MTV star, who was adopted from Santiago, Chile, as a newborn, had never spoken with her biological mother before this moment.

The reality personality had spent decades wondering about her origins before deciding to explore her family history on camera. “For 36 years, I’ve been thinking about this question, and now the answer is going to pop up any second,” Snooki shared in a confessional, as reported by Us Weekly. “This is insane.”

Accompanied by castmate Jenni “JWoww” Farley for emotional support, Snooki received answers to questions that had lingered throughout her adult life. When she directly asked why she was placed for adoption, her birth mother’s response provided clarity about a difficult period in both their lives.

“When she realized she was pregnant, she told her partner, your father, and he just disappeared, leaving her by herself,” the translator explained to Snooki. “She didn’t have any support at that moment, so that was the only option that she had. Even though it was painful, she had to let you go.”

Healing Through Understanding

The conversation revealed the emotional weight both women had carried for decades. Snooki’s birth mother sent a video message expressing sentiments she had held for years, telling her daughter through the translator, “I never forgot about you, and I love you,” which immediately brought Snooki to tears, according to Toofab.

During their phone conversation, Snooki’s birth mother apologized “for putting [the reality star] in that situation” and for placing her for adoption. However, Snooki mentioned the positive outcomes of that difficult decision, stressing that she had lived “an amazing life” with her adoptive parents.

“Obviously, I wouldn’t even be here if she didn’t put me up for adoption,” Snooki reflected in her confessional. “I have amazing parents. I had a great childhood. And then meeting my [Jersey Shore] roommates, and then meeting Jionni [LaValle] — and then having my kids.”

The reality star made sure to share details about her current happiness, telling her birth mother through the translator that she married “a handsome Italian man” and has “three beautiful children.”

Opening Doors for Other Adoptees

Snooki’s decision to document this personal journey stems from her desire to help others in similar situations. She previously said that the experience was “very emotional” and represented “a very vulnerable moment” for her, but she wanted to share it publicly for important reasons.

“I never really talked about my adoption and how I felt about it,” she explained to Us Weekly in September 2024. “There’s a lot of adoptees, and they have all these questions: ‘Should I reach out? Should I not reach out?’ So I’m glad that I got to show my side. It can be positive, and it’s comforting.”

The meeting concluded with mutual expressions of love and happiness about reconnecting, although Snooki acknowledged that processing these new relationships would take time as she navigated her emotions moving forward.