Lauri Waring Peterson has left Real Housewives of Orange County. Her son, Josh, has been battling drug addiction for years, and his latest stint with heroin pushed her to the edge. Lauri says the exit was bittersweet, and that she has already questioned her decision.
“I felt that I really needed privacy,” Peterson says. “I really wasn’t allowing the production company to film my son’s situation for entertainment value. … I really feel that that’s Josh’s story.”
“The intense pain that I feel for Josh and the trepidation … that’s gut-wrenching for me to watch.”
Peterson now plans to “step back and support” her son, but she still finds time for her fellow “Housewives,” getting together with her pals “when we can.”