Inside Eddie Van Halen's Relationship With Valerie Bertinelli

When Wolfgang Van Halen announced the death of his father, rock star Eddie Van Halen, on Twitter, one of the first responses came from a woman near and dear to them both. Actress Valerie Bertinelli and Eddie Van Halen were married for twenty years, and raised their son Wolfgang together. Bertinelli and Van Halen separated in 2001 and divorced in 2007. However, the two reportedly remained friends, even after their relationship ended. When Bertinelli and Van Halen started dating, their relationship was puzzling to some. What did the good girl sitcom star see in the bad boy rocker? At first, she just thought he was cute. After her brothers invited her to a Van Halen show, Bertinelli wasn't sure whether to join them...until she saw a photo of the band. When Valerie Bertinelli arranged a backstage introduction with Eddie Van Halen, the chemistry was immediately apparent. Van Halen's manager, Noel E. Monk, remembers their meeting in his book, Runnin' with the Devil. Despite their immediate connection, their relationship soon became troubled. Van Halen and Bertinelli set a wedding date for 1981, just a few months after they'd met. However, problems soon arose. A groupie accused Van Halen of fathering her child, though a paternity test eventually proved negative. Monk reported in Runnin' With the Devil that the morning of their wedding day, Van Halen was so drunk that his bride held back his hair in her wedding dress as he threw up. Bertinelli and Van Halen's marriage didn't get any easier over time. When she wasn't filming One Day at a Time, Bertinelli tried to keep up with her husband's rock star lifestyle with limited success. Though Bertinelli eventually gave up partying, Van Halen continued to struggle with cocaine addiction. Beyond the drugs, they had trouble connecting as they both fulfilled their work obligations, sometimes apart. Infidelity also played a part, on both sides, and in 2001, the pair separated. Bertinelli says her motivation was her son. Not everyone would feel comfortable inviting their celebrity ex to their wedding. But after their divorce, Van Halen and Bertinelli wrote their own rules. In 2009, Van Halen wed Janie Liszewski, with Wolfgang serving as best man and Bertinelli in attendance. In 2011, when Bertinelli wed Tom Vitale, Van Halen brought Liszewski to watch the ceremony. They still had fun together, which was clear in a photo of the two goofing around with their son on Wolfgang's Instagram. The pair didn't just support each other through the good times. Bertinelli made sure to visit Van Halen while he was in treatment for cancer. Bertinelli reportedly fussed over Van Halen's hair and tried to make sure he was comfortable. Being there for each other even after you've broken up? That's real love. Keep watching to see Inside Eddie Van Halen's Relationship With Valerie Bertinelli. #EddieVanHalen #ValerieBertinelli