Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli: A love story beyond divorce
Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli are proof that true love never dies. The lovers, who married for about two decades before separating, experienced hurt during their marriage. Valerie confirmed during an interview that they continued to love each other’s souls. Before his passing, Valerie told Eddie:
Maybe next time. Maybe next time we'll get it right.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- Profile summary
- Exploring Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli's love story
- What happened between Valerie Bertinelli and Eddie Van Halen?
- Did Valerie Bertinelli and Eddie Van Halen have kids?
- Why did Valerie name her son Wolfgang?
- Was Eddie Van Halen married when he died?
- Did Eddie Van Halen leave Valerie Bertinelli money when he died?
- Frequently asked questions
Key takeaways
- Valerie Bertinelli and Eddie Van Halen shared a romantic bond that continued after divorce.
- Their marriage ended mostly as a result of drug abuse.
- They had a son, Wolfgang Van Halen, born in 1991.
Profile summary
Full name | Valerie Anne Bertinelli |
Gender | Female |
Date of birth | 23 April 1960 |
Age | 65 years old (as of 2025) |
Zodiac sign | Taurus |
Place of birth | Wilmington, Delaware, United States of America |
Current residence | Los Angeles, California, United States of America |
Nationality | American |
Ethnicity | Mixed |
Religion | Christianity |
Sexuality | Straight |
Height | 5’4” (163 cm) |
Weight | 132 lbs (60 kg) |
Body measurements (in inches) | 34-25-35 |
Dress size | 6 (US) |
Shoe size | 7 (US) |
Hair colour | Dark brown |
Eye colour | Green |
Parents | Nancy and Andrew Bertinelli |
Siblings | Three brothers |
Marital status | Divorced |
Ex-husbands | Eddie Van Halen and Tom Vitale |
Current boyfriend | Mike Goodnough |
Children | Wolfgang Van Halen |
Education | Tami Lynn School of Artists |
Profession | Actress, television personality, author |
Net worth | $20 million |
Social media |
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Exploring Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli's love story
Eddie and Valerie’s story is one of love at first sight and an undying love. They met in 1980 at a concert where Eddie was performing, to which Valerie's brother had invited her.
Valerie and Eddie became inseparable immediately after getting acquainted backstage. They became the talk of the entertainment industry — Bad Boy Eddie and sweet little Valerie caused quite a stir. Valerie confirmed this in her memoir, Enough Already: Learning to Love the Way I Am Today:
We were portrayed as a mismatch. The bad boy rock star and America's sweetheart, but privately, Ed wasn't the person people thought he was, and neither was I.
Source: Original
Valerie Bertinelli and Eddie Van Halen's wedding
According to Country Living, Valerie became Eddie Van Halen's wife on 11 April 1981. The expensive wedding took place in California. The couple was at the peak of their careers. Valerie was a fan favourite after her appearance in One Day at a Time, and Eddie was a rock music star with his Van Halen band.
Valerie spoke about their experiences before, during, and after the wedding in her book, Losing It. She said:
The priest we tapped to perform the ceremony gave us questionnaires so he could get to know us better and offer more personal words. As we filled out the forms at home, we each held a little vial of cocaine. Now, if you ask me, those are not two people who should be making decisions about the rest of their lives.
Source: Getty Images
What happened between Valerie Bertinelli and Eddie Van Halen?
Valerie and Eddie separated in 2001, 20 years after their marriage. They finalised the divorce in 2007 but have stayed in touch ever since. In one of her conversations about the reasons for the separation, as Men's Journal published, Valerie said:
It was not easy. I’d stopped it many times because it was just too brutal to watch... One, seeing Wolfie’s pain. Two, seeing what a better job I could have done as a parent, even though he turned out magnificently. I made a lot of mistakes. And three, seeing what I had turned Ed’s and my relationship into some fantasy, soulmate recreation of history.
Eddie Van Halen and Valerie's divorce took the media by storm. It did not help that there were allegations and sometimes proof of Eddie’s infidelity in the marriage. Valerie is usually the first to point out that she was not guiltless.
According to Oprah, she had an extramarital affair with a drummer who was her brother’s friend. Valerie also claimed to have kissed a woman passionately while she was still married to Eddie.
Did Valerie Bertinelli and Eddie Van Halen have kids?
Their marriage led to the birth of a child. People reported that Wolfgang Van Halen was born on 16 March 1991 and has grown to become a musician like his late father. He married his long-term girlfriend, Andraia Allsop, in 2023.
Source: Getty Images
Why did Valerie name her son Wolfgang?
According to Nicki Swift, Valerie Bertinelli's spouse, Eddie, loved the works of classical music legend Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. This admiration led to the couple naming their only child after the composer. Eddie reportedly thought Wolfgang was the coolest name ever.
Was Eddie Van Halen married when he died?
Van Halen married his second wife, Janie Liszewski. They married in 2008 after divorcing Valerie. Janie was his publicist, but also an actress and a stuntwoman. Valerie married Tom Vitale, though it also ended in a divorce.
A report by NPR noted that Eddie died from a stroke on 6 October 2020, following a long battle with cancer. He was hospitalised at Saint John's Health Centre in Santa Monica, California, and was aged 65.
Did Eddie Van Halen leave Valerie Bertinelli money when he died?
Eddie’s estate and wealth were distributed between his son and his wife, Janie. But Valerie claimed that Eddie got her a gift from Germany long after their separation.
Source: Getty Images
Frequently asked questions
- How old was Valerie Bertinelli when she met Eddie Van Halen? Valerie was 20 years old when she met Eddie.
- How many children did Eddie Van Halen have? The late, rich rock star had one child, Wolfgang Van Halen.
- How did Eddie Van Halen die? He died from a stroke but had a long history of various ailments, including tongue cancer.
- Who did Eddie Van Halen leave his money to? Eddie’s $100 million net worth was distributed between his surviving wife and son.
Although Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli eventually separated, their bond endured through friendship, co-parenting, and shared respect. Long after Eddie's passing, Valerie has spoken publicly about the deep connection they shared.
READ ALSO: Valerie Bertinelli's net worth: how much is the actress worth?
As published on Briefly.co.za, Valerie Bertinelli's net worth today places her among the most successful Hollywood stars.
Valerie Bertinelli has been in show business for over five decades and portrayed several iconic roles in shows like Hot in Cleveland and One Day at a Time.
Source: Briefly News
