‘Jersey Shore’ Star Deena Cortese Sees ‘So Much’ of Her Father in Baby CJ

Deena Cortese loves how much of her late father she seems in her first son.

The Jersey Shore star shared that she sees “so much” of her dad’s smile in her son Christopher John Buckner, also known as CJ.

“He has an amazing guardian angel looking over him,” the new mom wrote alongside a photo comparison of CJ and his grandfather John Cortese.

Deena lost her father almost three years ago of leukemia. The reality television personality announced the news of his death on Instagram, writing: “Last night I lost the first man I ever loved my biggest supporter and best friend .. My dad was one of the toughest people I know and had such a big sense of pride and fought until the very very end and I couldn’t be more proud of him.”

His death took place just months before Deena would walk down the aisle to marry husband Christopher Bucker.

At the wedding, Deena opened up about the touching way she paid tribute to her father. The reality television personality revealed that she sewed a piece of her dad’s shirt by her chest.

“Even though you won’t be with me tomorrow physically .. I’ll have a piece of you with me and close to my heart while I’m walking down the isle (sic),” the bride shared at the time.

Deena and Buckner welcomed their son on Saturday, Jan. 5, announcing CJ’s birth on Instagram.

“Uhg (sic) mommy and daddy love you so much CJ .. you’re our everything,” Cortese wrote. “I never thought i could love Chris anymore than I did until I saw him hold CJ.”

The couple, who married in 2017, announced they were expecting a little boy in July on social media.

“Chris and I Decided to wait until we were ready to spill the beans!” Cortese wrote at the time. “Now that we are safely into our second trimester.. us and our little monkey are ready to tell the world Our little family is growing! We have a sweet little boy on the way!”

Buckner also paid tribute to his wife with some touching words online.

“I always knew my wife was one of the strongest woman I know but these past 2 days proved it,” he wrote alongside a photo of mom and baby. “I couldn’t be a more proud husband, and now a father to our perfect baby boy CJ.”