Valerie Bertinelli and Eddie Van Halen, once deeply in love, experienced a tumultuous end to their 26-year marriage.
After their divorce in 2007, both went on to remarry—Valerie to Tom Vitale in 2011—but reports suggest that the love between them never fully faded. Eddie tragically passed away in 2020 after battling cancer for several years, leaving Valerie heartbroken. In the wake of his death, it seems she still carries one deep regret about how she said goodbye to the father of her only son.
Here’s a look at their long relationship and the emotional farewell they shared.
Valerie first met Eddie in 1980, when her brothers invited her to one of his concerts in hopes of getting backstage. She agreed, thinking Eddie was attractive, but couldn’t have predicted the connection they would soon share. After getting backstage with her brothers, Valerie saw Eddie up close, and it was, in her words, love at first sight. Just three days later, Eddie called her, wanting to meet up.
On April 11, 1981, after several months of dating, they got married, beginning a romance that would last for more than two decades. In 1990, they welcomed their son, Wolfgang, named after the famous composer, but their relationship was often overshadowed by rumors of frequent arguments.
Despite the struggles, they remained together, presenting an image of unity that their fans adored. However, after 20 years of marriage, they separated in 2001, and their divorce was finalized in 2007. Valerie later revealed that their breakup was partly due to Eddie’s alleged infidelities, but the main reason for their separation was their son, Wolfgang. They both felt that their love had faded, and they didn’t want their son to witness their strained relationship.