A surprising split! Real Housewives of Miami star Lisa Hochstein wasn’t the only one who was “blindsided” by her split from Lenny Hochstein. It turns out, her costar Alexia Echevarria had a hard time believing the news as well.
“My reaction was disbelief and shock because even though everybody sees it coming, maybe like you, as a viewer, looking back at season four, but when you’re in it, it’s very easy to judge on the outside and everybody has an opinion and forms their own opinions, but when you’re in it yourself, it’s very hard to see that,” Alexia exclusively revealed on the Wednesday, June 8, episode of Us Weekly’s “Getting Real with the Housewives” podcast. “I don’t think she ever saw that coming.”
Last month, Lenny, 55, confirmed that he and the reality star, 39, decided to split after nearly 13 years of marriage. The news came after Page Six reported that the plastic surgeon was spotted partying with model Katharina Mazepa at a Miami club on May 7. He denied breakup rumors at the time, but the outlet reported that Lisa and her RHOM costar Larsa Pippen confronted Lenny at the venue.
“Lisa and I are getting divorced,” Lenny told Us. “A few weeks ago I denied this because I am trying my best to protect my family during this process. It is true that I am seeing Katharina but none of this happened until after the decision was made to get divorced. This is a very difficult time and I would ask for some privacy so that we can best take care of our children who mean the world to us.”
Lisa fired back in a statement to Us saying that she was “blindsided by his behavior and reckless handling of the situation” and that she is focusing on their two children, Logan, 6, and daughter Elle, 2.
“Women always fight so hard to keep their family together for their children because you know, she, you love your husband and your family and that’s all she ever wanted,” Alexia, 55, told Us. “I do believe that she fought very hard for her marriage and to keep her family together, but. you know, at the end of the day, it was his decision.”
Mazepa denied that Lisa was unaware of her estranged husband’s decision to end their relationship.
“Lenny & I are both separated from our spouses. We are both currently going through divorces. I was informed Lisa was fully aware that he was going out with me,” the fashion model, 26, told Us on May 19. “Despite her efforts to make the situation look otherwise, Lenny NEVER ‘blindsided’ her; in fact, he is going to great lengths to protect his family and do right by everyone involved in this difficult process.”
Mapeza also claimed that she and Lenny “started seeing each other after we had both separated from our spouses,” and that the plastic surgeon was not unfaithful to Lisa.
The Real Housewives of Miami airs on Bravo Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET.
