In an emotional bombshell revelation, Valerie Bertinelli has opened up about Eddie Van Halen's final year of life—a year dedicated to making amends, where the rock legend confessed that letting her go was the "biggest mistake" of his life. The former couple, who shared a son despite divorcing in 2007, found a profound reconciliation in Van Halen's last months, with Bertinelli describing their bond as "a flawed love" that never truly ended.
Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli in 1996. Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
According to Bertinelli, Van Halen spent his final year "cold-calling" people to make things right, including her. "He wanted to make it right with me, too," she recounts. "I was told that every time I would walk out of a room, he would look around and say, 'The biggest mistake of my life was letting her go.' In our own way, we never did let go." This poignant confession highlights the enduring connection between the two, even after their divorce.
The Touched By an Angel star details a heartfelt moment during their last Thanksgiving together, where Van Halen "opened his heart in a way he said was way past due." She recalls, "We found a place of deep love and forgiveness for our past mistakes. My final words to him when he was taking his last breaths in the hospital were 'I love you.' I'm so grateful to have had that sense of lightness." This emotional closure underscores the healing power of their relationship.
Bertinelli describes their 40-year relationship as one that "changed, evolved, and grew back different but stronger," emphasizing that it "healed us." She explains, "We grew, we didn't work... but I don't feel like it was a failure because there were many years there that were so happy. And I have Wolfie. I just can't think of it as a failure, because I still have deep love for the man even though he's not here." This perspective challenges conventional views of failed marriages.
Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli. Jim Smeal/Getty
Reflecting on her life after Van Halen's death in 2020, Bertinelli shared, "After Ed died, I was more than willing to put myself in the 'grieving widow' category for a man that I hadn't lived with for 20 years. What we had together was this beautiful son that we both unconditionally loved... That's what I got out of that marriage: Wolfie, the best thing that ever happened to me. Not a soulmate." This honest take on love and loss resonates with anyone who has experienced complex relationships.
Bertinelli, who later married businessman Tom Vitale in 2011 and split in 2022, shares these insights in her new book, Getting Naked: The Quiet Work of Becoming Perfectly Imperfect, now available in stores. Her story serves as a powerful reminder that love can transcend time and circumstance, offering a message of hope and redemption.
