It's been eight months since Jill Zarin announced her husband Bobby Zarin's thyroid cancer had spread to his brain. At some point during that time, Jill and her former "Real Housewives of New York" nemesis Ramona Singer found a way to end their years-long feud and become friends.
On Saturday, July 29, Ramona joined stars including Kathy Wakile, Kelly Bensimon, Luann De Lesseps, Tinsley Mortimer, Gizelle Bryant, Cindy Barshop and Marysol Patton at Jill's fifth annual Luxury Luncheon in Southampton, New York, where Ramona and Jill told Us Weekly how and why they moved past their differences.
"Ramona and I have gotten really close in the last few weeks," Jill said. "She showed up for me. She literally came to the hospital room, coming back from the gym in sweats with food in hand. She sat and talked with me for two hours. All of that crap that we went through didn't matter. Nothing mattered."
Ramona agreed, telling the magazine, "Today is very emotional because I visited Jill and Bobby in the hospital as soon as I heard about his current condition. I have to say, he looked fabulous. He was in great spirits. He had a great sense of humor."
She went on to say she and Jill "had a very heartfelt talk that lasted about 45 minutes," adding, "We're in a place, together, that we haven't been in … in years."
The sniping between Jill and Ramona, who were once friendly, dates back to the early days of the show. After Ramona was not asked to return as a full-time cast member in 2011, rumors surfaced suggesting Jill was part of the reason Ramona got edged out of the cast.
"[Jill] Bravo with a few pals she thought would make good additions," a source told Us at the time. "Bravo decided to go with the new girls and not Jill, so Ramona basically ran her off the show."
Although Jill said she didn't have enough power to push someone out of "RHONY," both she and Ramona have spoken openly and repeatedly about their negative feelings for one another.
Part of what's changed, according to Ramona, is the fact that their relationship is less in the spotlight than it once was.
"I think sometimes when you're doing a reality show, things become bigger than life," Ramona explained. "The show isn't scripted but things kind of got out of hand. It's difficult. It's difficult to be in the public eye. It really is. And we just said, 'You know what? We're going to have each other's backs.'"
"Life has ebbs and flows, ups and downs," she continued. "But I believe at the end of the day you've got to be there for someone. And I'm there for Jill. It's a new beginning to our friendship."