Once a fan-favorite on “The Real Housewives of Atlanta,” Kim Zolciak’s life has been anything but peaceful in recent years.
Her highly publicized marriage-turned-divorce from former NFL player Kroy Biermann, as well as her deep estrangement from her parents, Joseph (“Joe”) and Karen Zolciak, have kept her name in the headlines.
Kim Zolciak Was Married To NFL Star Kroy Biermann
Kim met Kroy Biermann in 2010 at a charity event, “Dancing with Atlanta Stars.”
Their whirlwind romance quickly became a storyline on RHOA, and by November 11, 2011, the couple tied the knot at their home in Roswell, Georgia.
They share four biological children: KJ, Kash, and twins Kaia and Kane.
Moreover, in 2013, Kroy legally adopted Kim’s daughters from a previous relationship, Brielle and Ariana, giving them his last name.
But what seemed like a picture-perfect blended family began to crack. In May 2023, Kim filed for divorce after 12 years of marriage, citing April 30 as the date of their separation.
Though the pair temporarily called off the split, Kim later asked Kroy to refile the divorce, confirming the end of their marriage.
Sources close to the family confirmed Kroy’s repeated infidelity, including a long-running affair with one of Kim’s former friends.
Kim Zolciak And Her Parents Have A Difficult Relationship
At the heart of Kim’s turmoil lies a longstanding and bitter estrangement from her parents.
Born in Pensacola, Florida, and raised in a devout Catholic, Polish-Italian military family in Connecticut, Kim grew up under the strict eye of Joe and Karen Zolciak.
The final straw came during Kim and Kroy’s 2011 wedding.
Her mother, Karen, was asked to leave the ceremony after a heated dispute over restroom access in Kim’s home.
Since then, the relationship has completely broken down.
Kim once said,
“If [my parents] didn’t harm my children, they’d probably still have a relationship with me.”
In 2017, she publicly called her parents “disgusting” and “opportunists,” claiming they would “do anything for a dollar.”
The fallout intensified when Joe publicly criticized Kim’s parenting, especially after one of her dogs bit her son Kash.
Kim responded furiously, stating her parents had “never met Kash or our dog” and accusing them of profiting off her fame.
Kim Zolciak Also Clashed With Her Parents In Legal Battles
In one of the most public clashes, Karen Zolciak sued Kim for visitation rights to see Brielle and Ariana, claiming she had a right to maintain a relationship with her granddaughters.
Kim argued her mother was manipulative and crossed multiple boundaries, even attempting to sell a tell-all book about her life.
She said in an interview,
“It’s one thing messing with Kroy and I, but when you’re messing with my children, it becomes a whole different ball game.”
Despite this, Kim insists she wouldn’t stand in the way of her children choosing to have a relationship with their grandparents if they wanted to.
Nonetheless, Kim’s eldest daughter, Brielle Biermann, has expressed longing for her grandfather, Joe, and has attempted to encourage reconciliation, but Kim remains resolute.
She has said in the past,
“I’ve thought all these years, ‘What if something happened to my mom or dad today? Would I regret not speaking to them?’ And honestly, my kids come before anybody.”
Kim Zolciak Was Sad That Her Father Hid His Cancer Diagnosis
In a surprising twist revealed during the eighth season of “Don’t Be Tardy,” Kim found out her father Joe had been diagnosed with cancer, but her family had kept it from her.
She said,
“When there are certain things that are this serious, I should have been told. It was very hard for me to swallow.”
Despite her anger and hurt, Kim acknowledged that she still loves her parents, but that doesn’t mean she’s letting them back into her life.
The reality star has also had a strained relationship with her brother, Mike, but they briefly reconciled in 2018 after 17 years for her birthday.
While the moment was emotional, there has been little public indication that the siblings have remained close since.
