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Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli.Ann Clifford/DMI/The LIFE Picture Collection via Shutterstock
The two were on good terms when Van Halen died in 2020; before that, they’d even attended each other’s second weddings.
“I loved Ed more than I know how to explain,” Bertinelli told PEOPLE in January 2022, while discussing her new book,Enough Already: Learning to Love the Way I Am Today. “I loved his soul.”
02of 15Valerie Bertinelli and Eddie Van Halen.Valerie Bertinell/instagramIn the book, Bertinelli — here with Van Halen in 1980 —wrote, “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.”
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Valerie Bertinelli and Eddie Van Halen.Valerie Bertinell/instagram
In the book, Bertinelli — here with Van Halen in 1980 —wrote, “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.”
03of 15Eddie Van Halen, Valerie Bertinelli.Valerie Bertinell/instagramThough their love was strong, the pair’s marriage was tumultuous at times, Bertinellishared with PEOPLE. “I hated the drugs and the alcohol but I never hated him. I saw his pain.”
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Eddie Van Halen, Valerie Bertinelli.Valerie Bertinell/instagram
Though their love was strong, the pair’s marriage was tumultuous at times, Bertinellishared with PEOPLE. “I hated the drugs and the alcohol but I never hated him. I saw his pain.”
04of 15Valerie Bertinelli, Eddie Van Halen.Valerie Bertinell/instagram"I can’t explain the feelings Ed and I had for each other," Bertinelli told PEOPLE in 2022. “Who really knows had he not died. I doubt it. I loved him more than I know how to explain and there’s nothing sexual about it. It was more than that. And Ed and I understood that.”
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Valerie Bertinelli, Eddie Van Halen.Valerie Bertinell/instagram
“I can’t explain the feelings Ed and I had for each other,” Bertinelli told PEOPLE in 2022. “Who really knows had he not died. I doubt it. I loved him more than I know how to explain and there’s nothing sexual about it. It was more than that. And Ed and I understood that.”
05of 15Eddie Van Halen, Valerie Bertinelli.Valerie Bertinell/instagramWhen Van Halen died in October 2020,Bertinelli saidher life “changed forever” the day she met him.
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When Van Halen died in October 2020,Bertinelli saidher life “changed forever” the day she met him.
06of 15Ron Galella/WireImage"We had some very difficult, very challenging times but we had some beautiful times too,“Bertinelli recalledof the pair’s time together in an Instagram live following the rocker’s death.
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Ron Galella/WireImage
“We had some very difficult, very challenging times but we had some beautiful times too,“Bertinelli recalledof the pair’s time together in an Instagram live following the rocker’s death.
07of 15Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli.The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty"He wants me to know he messed up [during our marriage],“Bertinelli wrote in her bookof a 2019 conversation the pair had. “I contributed to our troubles too and I am also sorry.”
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Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli.The LIFE Picture Collection via Getty
“He wants me to know he messed up [during our marriage],“Bertinelli wrote in her bookof a 2019 conversation the pair had. “I contributed to our troubles too and I am also sorry.”
08of 15Valerie Bertinelli/ instagramTen years after marrying, the couple welcomed son Wolfgang in 1991.
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Valerie Bertinelli/ instagram
Ten years after marrying, the couple welcomed son Wolfgang in 1991.
09of 15Valerie Bertinelli/ instagram"You gave me the one true light in my life, our son, Wolfgang,” Bertinelli wrote in 2020 while remembering her late ex.
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“You gave me the one true light in my life, our son, Wolfgang,” Bertinelli wrote in 2020 while remembering her late ex.
10of 15Valerie Bertinelli, Eddie Van Halen and son Wolfgang on Bertinelli’s Instagram story.Valerie Bertinell/instagramAfter Van Halen’s death, Bertinelli shared a handful of throwbacks, including this shot of the young family in N.Y.C.’s Central Park.
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Valerie Bertinelli, Eddie Van Halen and son Wolfgang on Bertinelli’s Instagram story.Valerie Bertinell/instagram
After Van Halen’s death, Bertinelli shared a handful of throwbacks, including this shot of the young family in N.Y.C.’s Central Park.
11of 15Valerie Bertinelli/ instagramWolfgang was already following in his dad’s footsteps years before the rock icon’s death,performing with his own band.“Music is a really therapeutic thing,” Wolfgangtold PEOPLEin 2021. “And being able to focus on that and just paying tribute to my dad and our relationship was a really helpful thing for me to grieve in that way.”
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Wolfgang was already following in his dad’s footsteps years before the rock icon’s death,performing with his own band.“Music is a really therapeutic thing,” Wolfgangtold PEOPLEin 2021. “And being able to focus on that and just paying tribute to my dad and our relationship was a really helpful thing for me to grieve in that way.”
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13of 15Valerie Bertinelli/ instagram"People are very quick to remind me that I look like both my parents, which I have to tell them, it’s like, ‘Wow, science. Who’d have guessed it?’ “Wolfgang quipped in 2021. “But yeah, I’m certainly a combination of both my parents. That’s for sure.”
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“People are very quick to remind me that I look like both my parents, which I have to tell them, it’s like, ‘Wow, science. Who’d have guessed it?’ “Wolfgang quipped in 2021. “But yeah, I’m certainly a combination of both my parents. That’s for sure.”
14of 15Wolf Van Halen/Instagram"My mom did a really good job at grounding me in my childhood,” Wolfgang told PEOPLE in 2021. “It felt completely normal. It wasn’t lavish or insane. I think she did a really good job of balancing that fame aspect of both of my parents' lives and gave me a really great, normal childhood.”
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Wolf Van Halen/Instagram
“My mom did a really good job at grounding me in my childhood,” Wolfgang told PEOPLE in 2021. “It felt completely normal. It wasn’t lavish or insane. I think she did a really good job of balancing that fame aspect of both of my parents' lives and gave me a really great, normal childhood.”
15of 15Eddie Van Halen, Valerie Bertinelli.Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic”‘I love you’ are the last words Ed says to Wolfie and me,“Bertinelli wrote in her bookof Van Halen’s death, “and they are the last words we say to him before he stops breathing.”
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Eddie Van Halen, Valerie Bertinelli.Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
“‘I love you’ are the last words Ed says to Wolfie and me,“Bertinelli wrote in her bookof Van Halen’s death, “and they are the last words we say to him before he stops breathing.”
source: people.com
