As previously reported by theGrio, Nene Leakes announced on September 17 that she has decided to leave The Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Although she didn’t pinpoint an exact reason for her departure, she stressed that the decision to exit the show was very difficult for her.
Read More: An emotional Wendy Williams dishes on Nene Leakes’ plans to quit RHOA
In a video, the longtime RHOA star reminisced about the early days of the show and thanked Bravo TV and the cast for all the memories they shared.
“I started on The Real Housewives of Atlanta in 2008. We took off like a rocket. I mean, we took off,” she recalled.
While a montage of famous scenes featuring Nene from past seasons played in the background, she thanked her fans for all their support and for promoting the many shady phrases she coined throughout the years.
Bravo said in a statement to PEOPLE, “We wish Nene all the best in her future endeavors and thank her for sharing her journey for over a decade with the fans of The Real Housewives of Atlanta.”
Following the news of her exit former cast mates and reality stars sent Leakes well wishes. Cast mate and former model, Cynthia Bailey wrote a touching message on Instagram, expressing that Nene was heavy on her spirit and she wished her a lifetime of love, peace and happiness.
“I am excited to see all the amazing things that God has put in place for you as your incredible journey continues,” Bailey wrote.
Gregg Leakes, Nene Leakes’ husband of many years, also left a sweet message on Instagram, singing his wife’s praises and calling her “one of the strongest Black women on this planet.”
Read More: NeNe Leakes announces she’s leaving ‘Real Housewives of Atlanta’
Kyle Richards from the Beverly Hills Housewives franchise posted a series of photos of Nene and her on her Instagram page, and stated that meeting Nene was “love at first sight.”
RHOBH star, Garcelle Beauvais took to Twitter to invite Nene to join her on the RHOBH, implying that the predominantly white show could use another Black woman. “Come help a sista out,” Beauvais tweeted.
Rumors of Leakes’ departure from the show had been circulating for several months, but her manager, Steven Grossman denied the rumors and insisted in a statement to PEOPLE that she was still negotiating a contract to return for season 13.
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