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Whitney Rose Reveals Where She Stands with Her Estranged Father, Steve Lesh, Today
The RHOSLC cast member also opened up about the "huge" step forward she took with her mom.
Emotions were high during The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Season 4 reunion.
On Part 2 (aka Season 4, Episode 18), which aired on January 16, Monica Garcia opened up about her estrangement from her mom, Linda Darnell. Monica's comments led both Whitney Rose and Heather Gay to discuss their complicated relationships with their own parents.
Whitney's dad, Steve Lesh, appeared on Season 1 of RHOSLC, but the two had a falling-out afterward. During the reunion, the Wild Rose Beauty founder shared an update on her relationship with her father, and how she got back on good terms with her mom (who attended Bobbi Rose's birthday party during Season 4).
Whitney Rose Reveals Updates on Her Dad and Mom
When reunion host Andy Cohen asked Monica about her relationship with her mom, Whitney said that it reminded her of her dad. "Even with my own father, Monica, it took watching for certain things to trigger in my brain of [I can't accept this]," Whitney said.
Whitney's comment prompted Andy to ask about Whitney's renewed relationship with her own mother, who did pop up briefly on Season 4. Prior to Bobbi's birthday party, Whitney and her mom had been estranged.
"This might make me cry..." Whitney said before sharing that it had been 16 years since the two had been on speaking terms. "There was a good decade where — and [I'm] sorry, Mom, because we're in such a better place now, but I have to speak the truth. There [were] birthdays where my mom didn't even text me, or Christmases, and that was very hard."
However, she added, things have improved tremendously between them now.
"Having a toxic father and then not a relationship with my mom, for us to be able now to work on it, build on it, and, like, she texts me about the show and all the time how she's proud of me," Whitney continued, noting that it was "huge" for her to see her mom at Bobbi's birthday party.
Andy then wondered how Whitney was able to reconcile with her mom after so many years of not speaking.
"We finally were able to have a very honest conversation about my childhood, and a big factor was removing my father," Whitney said.
Is Whitney Rose Speaking to Her Dad, Steve Lesh?
When the Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen host asked if Whitney had been "back in touch" with her dad at all since Season 1 wrapped, she said no.
"No," she said. "It's just not a relationship that I can open that door. I can't, and he's avoiding me as well."
Part 3 of the RHOSLC Season 4 reunion airs on Tuesday, January 23 at 8/7c on Bravo. Stream an uncensored version the next day on Peacock.
