‘RHOBH’: Diana Jenkins Announced $100,000 Donation to Lion Air Victims Ahead of Explosive Earring Episode
Smart timing or coincidence that Diana Jenkins shared that she donated $100,000 to the family members of the Lion Air 610 plane crash victims – hours ahead of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills episode about the case.
The Lion Air case was the first controversy of many in Erika Jayne and estranged husband Tom Girardi’s divorce. Girardi, the attorney on the Lion Air case, was accused of funneling settlement funds meant for the families of the Lion Air crash into his own private account. This money also helped to fund Jayne’s lavish lifestyle.
The latest RHOBH episode drilled down on a pair of $750,000 earrings that Jayne did not turn over to authorities. The money used to purchase the earrings likely came from the settlement. The cast argued that turning the earrings over could help the families and Jenkins agreed. But Jayne doubled down that she was just letting the courts decide.
Diana Jenkins donated to the Lion Air orphans and widows – and Erika Jayne approves
Jenkins joined the RHOBH cast this year and made a donation to the families left behind, sharing that she didn’t know about the case until it was brought to her attention on RHOBH.
Jenkins shared a post of the press release announcing that she donated $100,000 to the Lion Air 610 families. “I was not aware of this tragedy until it became a topic of conversation on RHOBH,” she captioned the release on Instagram.
She added that she feels “so much sympathy for the widows and orphans left behind,” she continued. Adding, “I know firsthand the pain and suffering that accompanies the loss of a family member, having lost my brother in the closing days of the Bosnian War. I want to do what I can to support those people who suffered so much. For more information, visit sunelafoundation dot org.”
Jayne responded with eight heart emojis.
During the ‘RHOBH’ episode, Diana said everyone should help – so she did
Jayne and Jenkins are still friends. But during the episode, Jenkins joined the cast in the chorus of wondering why Jayne won’t turn the earrings over in order to help the families.
“Everybody is acting like only Erika can do something about it but guess what? If you are so passionate about it, put your money where your mouth is,” Jenkins said in a confessional. “Take out your earrings and donate. We can all help.”
So, months later, Jenkins did something to help with the donation. But it was timed perfectly ahead of the episode.
Diana Jenkins’ Lion Air donation wasn’t meant as a dig at Erika Jayne
According to TMZ, sources shared that the donation reveal was meant to challenge other cast members to pony up some money. And that the donation was not to shade Jayne, but her hope that others would also contribute.
Garcelle Beauvais and Sutton Stracke gave Jayne heat for her role in the legal scandal. So going public with her donation was Jenkins’ way of giving them the opportunity to also put their money where their mouth is. Plus, Jenkins Lion Air donation was a genuine offering, and she truly wanted to help the families.