Joe Giudice‘s 2019 started in prison and ended in Italy.

After 41 months behind bars for fraud, the “Real Housewives of New Jersey” star, 47, was released from Allenwood Low Federal Correctional Institution in Pennsylvania and transferred to ICE custody on March 14, as a possible deportation to his native Italy loomed. It was ruled in 2018 that he was to be deported to Italy after the end of his sentence, but he appealed the judge’s decision.

He was hoping to go home to his wife of 20 years, Teresa Giudice, 47, and their four daughters, Gia, 18, Gabriella, 15, Milania, 14, and Audriana, 10, but instead was forced to remain behind bars while he awaited a judge’s decision on his deportation case appeal.

Then in April, Joe’s appeal was denied, and his daughters immediately jumped on social media to fight for him. Gia launched a Change.org petition to urge President Trump to stop his deportation and Milania posted a sweet tribute to her dad on her own Instagram page.

In September, Joe appeared in court, pleading with a judge to let him go home to his family in New Jersey. But his attempt was unsuccessful and he was ordered to remain locked up.

“Joe is anxious and he desperately wants to come home,” an insider told Page Six at the time, while James Leonard Jr., the family’s lawyer, told us, “This is obviously a very critical hearing for Joe and his family.”

Joe then asked the court to let him live in Italy — instead of in custody in the US — as the judge made a decision.

He also started to plan his post-prison life while he was behind bars, with an insider telling us that he was starting to prepare for a career competing in mixed martial arts.

“This is one of the things that he is adamant about and he has been speaking about it for quite some time. He didn’t just cook this up last night,” the insider told us. “It’s one of the reasons why he’s worked so hard to stay in shape and get in shape and whatnot.”

Joe’s request to return to Italy was granted on Oct. 3, and he flew to his homeland a little over a week later. He joined Instagram and began showing off his muscled new physique.

He then chatted with Bravo about his experience, saying: “Life, it’s always better to look through the windshield and not through the rearview mirror, you know. It’s a much bigger picture when you’re looking through the windshield. But at the end of the day, people make mistakes. Nobody’s perfect. I’ve learned a valuable lesson from all this, and I know my family is the most important thing to me. But it’s better that I’m out here than in there. I just want to let you know that I love you, and I’m always here for you. You know that.”

He and Teresa then sat down for an interview with Andy Cohen, with Teresa in the “WWHL” studio and Joe appearing via satellite from Italy. They confronted each other over cheating rumors and admitted that they did not know if they would stay together.

Teresa and her family flew over to Italy to see Joe for the first time there.

The visit lasted just a few days, and Bravo cameras were rolling. Teresa revealed shortly afterward that she did not have any intention to see Joe again until the summer.

Rounding out a difficult 2019 for the Giudice family, it was revealed in December that Teresa and Joe had decided to separate after 20 years of marriage, with sources telling People earlier this month that Joe had already begun to date again.

But Joe’s 2020 looks to be off to a better start, as he closed out 2019 by spending the first Christmas in three years with his four daughters. He also posted a message on Instagram about looking toward the future, writing: “This year, I have done a lot of self reflection I now know to be Happy and content with who I am and what I have food, bed, air, girls, and family. I learned in there All you have to do is love yourself and be the BEST!”