Following a viral video that showed him drifting off during an interview, Jersey Shore star Ronnie Ortiz-Magro got candid about his struggles with depression amid concerns for his health.
”High functioning depression is waking up each day with a face that works but a heart that doesn’t, doing everything you’re supposed to do while feeling nothing inside, and most days it’s like being trapped in your own life, forced to keep moving even when every part of you wants to stop,” wrote Ortiz-Magro on his Instagram Stories, per TMZ. In a follow-up post, he shared a repost of Kyrie Irving admitting that “it’s okay to be human.”
In an interview with SiriusXM last month, the Jersey Shore star appeared to struggle staying awake and slouched in his chair while his co-stars spoke. During the interview, which promoted Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, he was joined by his co-stars, Angelina Pivarnick, Sammi ‘Sweetheart’ Giancola, Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi, Deena Nicole Cortese, Vinny Gaudagnino, and Mike ‘The Situation’ Sorrentino.
Ortiz-Magro previously stepped away from the reboot of the popular MTV series following an arrest for alleged domestic violence in 2021. He later returned to the show after he revealed he had been sober for one year.
After the clip of him drifting off sparked concern, his castmate Mike Sorrentino responded with a post on Instagram.
“I want to be clear that I am not responsible for the actions of any other cast member,” wrote Sorrentino on his Instagram Stories. “At the same time, my heart is heavy seeing what Ron, a grown adult, chose to present during press. This situation is still developing, and while I do not know the full extent of what he may be going through, I do know it is separate from my path. I will help where I can, including through my organization, The Archangel Centers.”
He added that he will always be there for his co-star, and that his heart is with “anyone who is struggling.”
