Gina Kirschenheiter's ex-husband, Matt Kirschenheiter, is on the mend after suffering a heart attack on March 15.
The Real Housewives of Orange County cast member revealed as much on March 17. "Wow. We had a scary weekend! Matt (the kiddos' dad) suffered a heart attack Saturday!" Gina wrote in the caption of an Instagram post, which featured photos of Matt in a hospital bed. "He’s only 40 years old!!"
Gina went on to share that Matt's wife, Britt, "rushed him to the hospital" after he began experiencing symptoms. She went on to thank "all the hospital staff" for acting "quickly."
After Matt's health was under control, Gina and their three children, Nicholas, Luca, and Sienna Kirschenheiter, came to visit him in the hospital. She posted a photo of Sienna embracing her dad following his heart attack.
"The kids were very shaken up but thankfully we can be smiling bc he will be OK! He came home today," Gina continued. "The kids and Trav[is Mullen] and I are so happy to have their dad back. This was too close of a call. Really puts things in perspective. We will all be changing our lifestyle and leaning into the healthy [because] being there for our kids is the only thing that matters."
Gina concluded her message by saying, "Thank you for everyone who has checked in on us," and to implore any separated couples to work on improving their co-parenting relationships. "For anyone out there struggling to co-parent, remember you are all a family and what matters most is that you all get to be there for your kids," she said. "Tomorrow is not promised, today is a gift."
Matt's wife reiterated how serious the situation was in the comments section. "I think we're all forever shook," she wrote.
Gina Kirschenheiter opens up about co-parenting with ex Matt Kirschenheiter
Since they split up in 2019, Gina and Matt have made a concerted effort to work on their co-parenting relationship.
In late October 2024, Gina shared insight into how she parents with Matt, Britt, and her boyfriend, Travis.
"We have it all figured out. I couldn’t be happier and more proud of my co-parenting situation," Gina exclusively told The Daily Dish. "We’re just parents. You know what I mean? Like, we’re parents to our children. I’m a parent. Travis is a parent. Matt’s a parent. Britt’s a parent. It’s not even co-parenting, it’s just parenting. Our kids have four parents. We're their family. They're safe and happy with any of their four parents and that’s just our life."
Added Gina, "Also, it makes it easier for us to be able to do the things that we need to do, like work and travel and all that stuff because you just know your kids are happy and fine."
"I just don’t understand why anybody wouldn’t want that," Gina continued, before referring to their bond as "a really beautiful thing."
She also noted that she always wants Matt and Britt to feel "included" when the kids are involved.
"We still have boundaries and, obviously, stuff like that, but we’re just so open, like, 'Oh, you want to come over Christmas? Whatever. If you have plans, great,’ like, 'Oh this year you’re taking the kids for the week for Thanksgiving. That's wonderful.' I want my kids to have that experience," she said. "I’ll have Thanksgiving with them next year."
"We're just very reasonable about it," Gina concluded. "It’s really all about what’s in the best interest[s] of the whole family."
