Yet through it all, the pair stayed together, creating an image that was a big hit with fans across the world.
All told, they stayed by each other’s sides for twenty years, until 2001, when they eventually parted ways after twenty years.
It wasn’t until 2007 that their divorce was officially finalized, and Valerie revealed in 2008 the reason behind their decision to call time on their relationship.
According to Valerie, she and Eddie broke up in part due to alleged infidelities on his part, but the main reason for their separation had to do with their son, Wolfgang. As per reports, the couple found that they no longer acted like they loved one another, and they didn’t want their only child to witness that.
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Years after their divorce, both Eddie and Valerie would go on to remarry. On January 1, 2011, Valerie married financial planner and entrepreneur, Tom Vitale, while Eddie exchanged vows with stuntwoman and wrestling manager Janie Liszewski on June 27, 2009, having been dating her since 2006.
Sadly, van Halen died on October 6, 2020, aged 65, after a long and protracted battle with throat cancer. The news was confirmed by his son, Wolfgang, who took to Twitter to describe his father as the best dad he could ever need.
Prior to his passing, Eddie Van Halen remained tight-lipped concerning his cancer, though he flew regularly to Germany for special treatments. While on one such trip, he reportedly bought ex-wife Valerie Bertinelli a pendant-sized gold bar, and presented it to her on Thanksgiving Day in 2019.
Sources suggest that the gift was van Halen’s way of apologizing for the mistakes he made during their twenty-year marriage, and that Valerie, too, accepted responsibility for some of their issues.
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During the last few weeks of Eddie’s life, Valerie was a constant presence at his bedside in hospital, alongside Wolfgang and some of van Halen’s other loved ones. Valerie and Wolfgang are both said to have been there during his final moments of life.
According to AmoMama, van Halen’s last words to the two of them were that he loved them. For Valerie’s part, she reportedly regrets holding back and not getting closer to Halen during the years that he was sick.
Now, both were married to other people at the time, so her hands were fairly tied, but it’s fair to say there was an element of love that survived their divorce and even the following years prior to van Halen’s death.
After his death, Valerie took to Instagram to pay tribute to her ex-husband, saying that he had changed her life “forever”. Months later, she admitted she remembers only the “best” of him, and hopes that his memory will live on through Wolfgang.
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I don’t know about you, but I for one miss Eddie Van Halen. He was a truly unique musician, and a fantastic entertainer to boot!
Were you a fan of van Halen’s? If so, let us know your thoughts on the legendary artist in the comments box on Facebook.
Meanwhile, share this article on social media to send love and prayers in Valerie’s direction.