Ronnie Ortiz-Magro Is Sober, Planning 'Jersey Shore' Return After Arrest

Ronnie Ortiz-Magro stepped away from 'Jersey Shore: Family Vacation' after being arrested in April — read more

Making progress! Ronnie Ortiz-Magro is looking on the bright side after a rocky few months — and is planning to head back to his Jersey Shore roots.

“I feel great,” the reality star, 35, told TMZ on Thursday, August 26. “Four months sober, I quit drinking. Got engaged, full-time father, you know, [I’m] living a good life.”

The MTV personality stepped away from Jersey Shore: Family Vacation after he was arrested in Los Angeles in April following an alleged domestic violence dispute. He was released on $100,000 bond and his attorneys, Scott E. Leemon and Leonard Levine, told Us Weekly one month later their client would be “seeking medical treatment for psychological issues that he has ignored for a long time.”

At the time, Ortiz-Magro told his Instagram followers that he was focusing on “facing my struggles head on” in order to “be the best man and the best father I can [be] for my daughter,” Ariana, 3, whom he shares with ex Jen Harley.

Since taking time away from the spotlight, the New York native has made some big personal changes. In June, he got engaged to girlfriend Saffire Matos, gushing via Instagram, “I love you 💕 Thank you for sticking by my side through thick and thin! Til death do us part! #SheSaidYes.”

While speaking with TMZ, Ortiz-Magro hinted that fans might catch a glimpse of Matos if he returns to season 5 of the Jersey Shore spinoff.

“I stepped away to deal with my mental health, be a father to my child, be a fiancé to my woman,” he said on Thursday. “I’ll be back and, you know, all the fans love me and I love them too so I’m gonna give them what they want and I’ll see them soon. … [It’s] definitely not over.”

Ortiz-Magro added that he’s still on good terms with his costars, but a source told Us in June that news of his engagement was a “complete surprise” for the group.

“He’s closest to Angelina [Pivarnick] and the boys, but he didn’t even tell them until after it happened,” the insider said.

The proposal was “very private,” the source continued. “He only told his family and best friends. … People think it happened so quickly, but Ron’s been serious about getting married and committing himself to a special someone who happens to be Saffire.”

One month before hitting the major milestone, the couple professed their love for each other on their respective Instagram Stories, sharing a quote that read, “A soulmate is someone who challenges you to be better, someone who can’t stand seeing you sad, someone who stays faithful, loyal and committed to you, someone who helps take care of you when you’re sick, someone who stands by your side through the good days and the bad days, and someone who wants to grow old and grey with you.”