Brie Garcia hates that she can’t “fix” everything for her sister, Nikki.
As we have been reporting, Artem Chigvintsev was arrested on charges of corporal injury to a spouse on August 29 following an alleged domestic violence incident with his estranged wife in Napa Valley, California. However, the Napa County District Attorney later dropped the charges due to insufficient evidence.
Flash forward to this week, and Nikki obtained a temporary domestic violence restraining order against Artem, where she went into detail about the altercation that led to his arrest and their divorce. The former professional wrestler claimed an argument over their son Matteo’s breakfast turned into a horrific incident of domestic abuse, in which Artem pressed on her chest near her sternum and made her feel like she was suffocating at one point. Jeez.
Related: Inside Dave Grohl’s ‘Last-Ditch Effort’ To Win Back His Wife!
Artem, though? He told a very different story than Nikki in his own restraining order filing! The Dancing With The Stars alum insisted she was the primary aggressor in the dispute and even shared photos showing injuries to his hand, elbow, and the back of his head that Nikki allegedly gave him. At this time, they both have restraining orders against each other.
The whole situation has been a mess. While Nikki has not opened up to fans about what’s going on too much, her sister is getting real for her about the emotional toll this drama has taken on the entire family. While referencing the domestic violence ordeal during a solo episode of their joint podcast The Nikki & Brie Show on Thursday, Brie said she “looked at trauma in the face” – but sadly cannot do much about it:
“The last week has been so hard. All you wanna do is help. You want it to stop, but you realize it’s not your trauma, especially if you’re not the one dealing with it and you’re seeing someone else [deal with it]. It’s not for you to fix.”
Anyone with a sibling knows that kind of struggle. While Brie can’t magically make everything go away, what she can do is be there for her sister through it all. And we know, without a doubt, that is what the WWE star is doing right now. This ordeal is super challenging not just for Nikki but for her family, too.
Brie went on to share that she felt such a “sadness” over the turmoil in their family – something she could only compare to a “death.” Oof. She explained:
“I have felt sadness in ways that maybe death could compare. I literally have lost sleep. I lay in my bed with my eyes open, and I think and I just think and think, and I think of so many different things….. But the major thing I think of is: How can I fix [things] and how can I help?”
Brie also managed to “think” of some words of wisdom for listeners and a certain someone. She reflected:
“If you do not take accountability of your mistakes, you will be exposed. I will let you know that. I know it. And I will say, lies will eat you up. You’re always gonna get caught. No one ever runs away free without getting caught. Right? Lies will not only personally eat you up, but in the end, they’ll always expose you. And you have to remember that.”
It sounds like she is low-key trying to send a message to Artem… again…
Brie then offered advice to fans “who are going through trauma right now who don’t feel seen or heard.” Mentioning Nikki by name, she said:
“I want you to know that Nikki, myself, and a whole army of women are here to support and help you, give you strength, give you confidence. Don’t take the s**t anymore.”
Yes! Say it louder, girl!
As we mentioned before, this was a solo episode of the podcast. In fact, Brie has been doing the show alone since the August confrontation. However, she won’t be by herself for much longer. The athlete teased that “Nikki will be returning soon,” but she did not want to “give the exact date” since “we never know what’s around the corner.” Hopefully, if Nikki is unable to return to the podcast in the near future, it is for a good reason like a business opportunity. The last thing she needs is any more drama in her life right now…
Reactions, Perezcious readers? Let us know in the comments!
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. Consider calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233, or text START to 88788, or go to https://www.thehotline.org/.
[Image via Jennifer Hudson Show/YouTube, Artem Chigvintsev/Instagram]
