Rachel Leviss began giving back to the community that helped her in the aftermath of her months-long affair with her ex Vanderpump Rules actor Tom Sandoval.
The affair between the two – which ended his nine-year relationship with Ariana Madix – became public on March 3, after only four episodes of the tenth season had aired on Bravo.
The Vanderpump Rules star recently auctioned off two signature style items associated with their secret romance: her gold lightning bolt necklace and her infamous TomTom hoodie, as well as an additional TomTom hoodie.
Tom Sandoval, Ariana Madix, Raquel Leviss at the Los Angeles Mission host the Los Angeles Homeless Community’s Annual Thanksgiving Dinner at the Los Angeles Mission in Los Angeles, California on November 23, 2022.
Faye Sadou/Media Punch/Alamy
The recent auction was held in honor of World Mental Health Day, which is celebrated on October 10, with proceeds going to the National Association on Mental Illness (NAMI).
The 29-year-old received a total of $14,800 for both items, with recipients spending $5,300 on a lightning bolt necklace and $9,500 on two hoodies, a Levis rep confirmed to PEOPLE.
Three months after the March scandal, the TV personality sought mental health and trauma therapy at The Meadows in Wickenburg, Arizona, and as a result, mental health has become an increasingly common cause that Leviss wants to continue to support.
After treatment in Arizona, Leviss announced that she was going back to her birth name, ditching the “Raquel” moniker she adopted when she moved to Los Angeles, all in an attempt to embrace her “healing era.”
Ahead of the $14,800 donation, Leviss shared in an Instagram story on Oct. 10 that although she was in the “process of letting go of things that no longer serve [her] more,” she began cleaning out her closet and soon came across “a few items that are a bit of a trigger.”
She explained: “I just don’t want to see them, I don’t want to have them in my possession. I’ll never wear them again.”
“It’s all about creating a better mindset, changing your environment so you can set yourself up for success,” she added. “I can’t rewrite history, but I can use something from my darkest days for a good cause.”
Raquel Leviss – BRAVOCON — Cocktails at Schwartz & Sandys from the Javits Center in New York.
Monica Schipper/Bravo via Getty Images
The TomTom Hoodie has become a notorious item in the Bravo sphere, after Vanderpump Rules star cheekily wore her TomTom hoodie on Day 3 of BravoCon in October 2022, leading fans to speculate that she was referring to her rumored relationship with the bar’s other owner, Tom Schwartz.
In the days that followed, Leviss addressed her ensemble: “Just coming to say the number one reason I wore this TomTom T-shirt on day 3 of BravoCon was because of the comfortable vibes,” she wrote on Instagram. “I also wore it on BOTH supports [Toms] and encouraged people to stop by their stand to check out the rest of the sweet goods. I really enjoy supporting my friends and being comfortable at the same time #sueme #numberonetomstan.”
Soon after, Sandoval repurposed the tracksuit for his Halloween costume, where he donned Leviss’ BravoCon look.
Tom Sandoval calls ex Raquel Leviss who blocked him on her birthday “immature…petty…thirsty” (Exclusive)
The red herring gained attention in 2022 and led fans to speculate about a relationship between her and Schwartz, but it wasn’t until March 3 — when the scandal became public — that fans learned the shirt did indeed have meaning, they just didn’t know the shirt was attached to another Tom.
Soon enough, fans of the show embraced the earlier connection and began taking apart all of Levissa’s past ensembles for clues — leading to the discovery of the matching lightning bolt necklaces she and Sandoval wore to BravoCon.
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Raquel Leviss buys a Lightning Bolt necklace similar to Tom Sandoval’s on Vanderpump Rules. https://www.bravotv.com/vanderpump-rules/season-10/videos/raquel-leviss-turned-a-new-leaf-in-her-relationship-with-james. Credits: Bravo; LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 4: Tom Sandoval attends The House of Barrie Grand Opening at House of Barrie on October 4, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for House of Barrie). Bravo; Phillip Faraone/Getty for House of Barrie
Then on May 10, two months after the affair was discovered, Vanderpump Rules aired the penultimate episode that followed Leviss’ purchase of the lightning bolt necklace.
Two weeks later, during the season 10 reunion episode, Leviss confirmed that the necklace did indeed have “the meaning we all think it does”.
During the shoot, she acted like the jewelry was a “birthday present” to herself, then admitted to Andy Cohen and her co-stars during the reunion that she bought the piece because “it was meaningful to who [Sandoval] became in my life.” She added: “I know nobody wants to hear that.”
Meanwhile, after her last birthday, it was confirmed that the former couple are no longer together. After Sandoval wished her a “Happy Birthday” on the social media platform, Leviss shared a screenshot of her block notification on her Instagram Story with a sticker that read, “OK Hi!”
Raquel Leviss blocked Tom Sandoval after he wished her ‘Peace and Happiness’ for her 29th birthday.
Rachel Leviss/Instagram
Raquel Leviss blocked Tom Sandoval after he wished her ‘Peace and Happiness’ for her 29th birthday.
Rachel Leviss/Instagram
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Source: HIS Education