Jen Shah Marks 1st Anniversary Of Prison Stay With New Pictures

Jen Shah commemorated the one-year milestone of her prison stay in a “Barbie” costume alongside a heartfelt reflection.

Despite the looming lawsuit over Bravo's "black eye" rumor, the former “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star remains steadfast in her journey of self-discovery.

Exactly one year after her entry into FPC Bryan Prison in Texas, the TV personality offered an intimate glimpse into her transformative journey. 

Accompanying Shah's thoughts was a picture taken during a notable occasion in September: a Barbie-themed hair competition held within the prison walls. The image portrayed the reality TV star as "Adventure Barbie” and her fellow inmate Ashley Rhea Johnson ("AJ") as "Slumber Party Barbie,” both exuding resilience and spirit despite their circumstances.

In the lengthy statement shared exclusively with PEOPLE, Shah's words resonated with humility and gratitude. 

"I have been away from my family for one year. The depth of my pain is unrelenting and indescribable," Shah wrote. "However, throughout this painful process, God has substantially increased my humility, gratitude, and courage.”

The star reflected on her ongoing journey of personal growth and self-discovery, acknowledging that there she had a lot to learn. 

In her own words, “There is still so much I must learn while I am here at FPC Bryan, I am grateful God has given me a better foundation to appreciate his unwavering love and blessings to fight for that moment of happiness each day.”

Acknowledging the plight of her fellow inmates, the mother-of-two admitted to finding solace in their resilience and drawing strength from their stories. 

"Upon entering FPC Bryan, I wholeheartedly believed that no one was suffering as badly as I was. I quickly recognized that so many women are here battling and overcoming circumstances far worse than mine. Their resilience inspires and truly humbles me.”

Throughout her incarceration, Shah credited therapy, her unwavering faith, and the support of her fellow inmates for aiding her journey of self-discovery and resilience. 

She also shared the invaluable advice given to her by her husband of nearly 30 years, Sharrieff, and the profound impact it had on her journey towards finding joy amidst adversity. 

"My husband tells me every morning that I have to fight for my happiness. He said it takes unimaginable courage to smile, and find joy and laughter despite my circumstances. This photo was taken nearly eight months after I surrendered. My husband's advice finally settled into my heart and I found the courage to smile, find genuine joy and laughter."

As Shah continues to navigate her legal battles and the complexities of life behind bars, her husband remains a steadfast source of support and love.  His unwavering dedication to her well-being, including orchestrating a heartfelt birthday celebration for her 50th birthday underscores the depth of their bond. 

In the clip shared on his wife's Instagram page, Coach Shah provided insight into Jen's reaction to the outpouring of love and well-wishes on her milestone birthday. He revealed that he reached out to 50 of Jen's family members and closest friends to write birthday messages, which he then delivered to her.

The former American football player shared that his wife's reaction was overwhelming, describing how she "cried and cried tears of joy and appreciation for at least six minutes" during their limited 10-minute conversation. 

Amid Shah's current five-and-a-half sentence, tensions escalated in the reality television world. Following the preview for the highly anticipated reunion of Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City," a potential legal battle might be on the horizon.

In the teaser, host Andy Cohen left no stone unturned, addressing the lingering question of whether Jen was responsible for co-star Heather Gay's black eye. Gay's confirmation ignited the stage for a tense showdown, hinting at repercussions that may transcend the confines of the television screen.

However, a spokesperson for Jen promptly addressed the rising controversy,  pointing out that the reality TV personality was closely monitoring the situation and ready to pursue legal action based on the perceived language used in the reunion episode.

According to Jen's representative, "If in the final cut of the three-part 'RHOSLC' reunion, Heather makes any direct reference to Jen Shah giving her the black eye, legal action will be taken by the Shah family against Andy Cohen, NBC Universal, Bravo, Shed Media, and Heather for slander and defamation."