An autopsy for Milania Guidice’s late friend Victoria Zardoya has reportedly been delayed following her shocking and tragic death at age 20.
“The autopsy, as far as I can tell, has not been done yet, because she is an organ donor,” a spokesperson for the local medical examiner’s office told The Sun on Wednesday, July 29.
It was reported this week that Zardoya died from injuries sustained in a fall on Friday, July 24, during a trip to Egmont Key, an island off the coast of Tampa Bay, Florida. (It is not clear how the college student fell, as of publication.)
On Sunday, July 26, her close friend, Victoria Silberbusch, shared her account of Zardoya’s fatal fall via Instagram “at the request of Victoria Zardoya’s family.”
“On July 24, 2026, what began as a fun, innocent day on the water with both old and new friends ended in an unimaginable and unexpected way,” Silberbusch, who was present during the events, wrote. “A beautiful 20-year-old woman named Victoria Zardoya, who had flown down to Florida for the weekend to visit friends, sustained fatal injuries due to a devastating fall while we were exploring the historic ruins at Fort Dade on Egmont Key.”
Silberbusch recalled that their group was getting ready to leave when Zardoya suddenly fell.
“We ran to the edge, calling out to her, but quickly realized she had fallen much further than we first believed. We immediately began climbing down to reach her while others called 911,” her statement continued. “Friends back at the boats launched flares to help first responders locate us as quickly as possible, and additional calls were made to communicate how urgent the situation was.”
“Everyone did everything they possibly could to help her. Her injuries from the fall were brutal,” she added. “We stayed with Victoria and held her, trying to make her as comfortable as possible while we waited for first responders to arrive.”
Milania Guidice and Victoria Zardoya Courtesy Instagram / Victoria Zardoya
Zardoya was transferred first by boat and later by medical helicopter for emergency treatment but ultimately died two days later due to her injuries. It has been reported that Zardoya was an organ donor.
In the wake of her death, Zardoya’s longtime friend Milania, 20, and the Giudice family paid tribute to the young woman. Milania shared throwback photos from her childhood via her Instagram Story, along with the poignant caption, “Lowkey hate nostalgia because what do you mean I can never go back.”
Her mom, Teresa Giudice, shared a heart emoji and praying hands, along with the message, “We love Victoria.”
“There are no words for this kind of pain,” Milania’s father, Joe Giudice, wrote via Instagram on Sunday, July 26. “Victoria, you were like a daughter to me. I watched you grow up with my daughter Milania. We were neighbors for years, and you became part of our family. I can’t believe you’re gone.”
Did Milania Giudice subtly address the news of her arrest? Some fans think so. “None of us sit high enough to look down on anybody,” Milania, 20, shared via Instagram Stories on Thursday, June 11, reposting the message from an inspirational quote account on the platform. “Be humble.” Teresa Giudice’s 20-year-old daughter posted the cryptic […]
He, 54, went on, “To think that a simple fall while just being young and having fun could take such a beautiful life is heartbreaking. You were only 20 years old, with your whole future ahead of you. Life is so fragile. In one moment, everything can change. Please don’t take a single day or the people you love for granted.”
Zardoya’s friend Molly Page Morris also described Zardoya as a “light” and “very energetic” person while speaking exclusively to Us.
“She didn’t really take anything for granted. She lived life to the fullest. Her friends would describe her as just being like the funniest person with the loudest laugh,” Morris said. “And she’s beautiful inside and out. We all went to school with her. We are all in college, and she just turned 20.”