😢 “Secrets, Struggles & Separation: Valerie Bertinelli Breaks Down the TRUTH Behind Her Divorce from Eddie 💔🕊️”

It all started with a quiet interview — no fireworks, no cameras flashing — just Valerie Bertinelli sitting down for an intimate podcast chat that took an unexpected, gut-wrenching turn.

Valerie Bertinelli admits Eddie Van Halen was 'not a soulmate,' marriage  declined into drugs, infidelity | Fox News

The conversation, which began with reflections on motherhood and her cooking career, suddenly shifted to the topic fans never thought she’d address so openly: her marriage to Eddie Van Halen, and why it truly ended.

“I loved him deeply,” she began, her voice already trembling.

“But love doesn’t fix everything.

” And with that, the floodgates opened.

According to Bertinelli, the real reason behind the divorce wasn’t infidelity, career pressures, or the typical Hollywood burnout.

It was addiction — and the emotional wreckage that comes with loving someone through it.

“He was the love of my life,” she admitted, “but he was also in pain.

And that pain spilled into everything — our marriage, our parenting, our souls.

Valerie Bertinelli Shares Photo of Her Mom and Eddie Van Halen

While Valerie has always spoken with affection and respect about Eddie, this was the first time she pulled back the curtain on the private torment that unraveled their bond.

“I thought if I just loved him enough, he’d choose sobriety.

But addiction doesn’t work that way.

You can’t love someone out of it.

She described the exhausting cycle of hope and heartbreak — the relapses, the disappearances, the moments of clarity followed by chaos.

“There were nights I’d sit by the phone, just waiting for a call from the hospital or worse,” she revealed.

“I wanted to save him.

I really did.

Valerie Bertinelli details 'drugs, alcohol, and infidelity' during Eddie  Van Halen marriage: 'Not a soulmate'

But somewhere along the way, I realized I was losing myself.

The decision to divorce, she confessed, wasn’t a dramatic blow-up — it was a quiet surrender.

“It wasn’t about giving up on him.

It was about giving us a chance to breathe.

We were drowning in the same storm but trying to survive in separate boats.

Even after their split, Valerie never stopped being part of Eddie’s life.

In fact, she was with him in his final moments.

“We never stopped loving each other.

We just couldn’t live together.

” That statement alone sent shockwaves across the fanbase.

It revealed a truth that’s rarely spoken: sometimes love endures beyond the failure of a relationship — and that’s what made their story so tragically beautiful.

Valerie Bertinelli Remembers Late Ex-Husband Eddie Van Halen On 'The Drew  Barrymore Show': “He Was A Drug Addict And Alcoholic, But He Wasn't A Bad  Boy” | Decider

The actress also opened up about the guilt she carried after the divorce.

“For years, I wondered if I did the right thing.

I asked myself if I should’ve stayed longer, tried harder.

But healing doesn’t always mean holding on.

Sometimes it means letting go.

In a particularly emotional moment, Valerie shared how their son, Wolfgang Van Halen, became both a lifeline and a mirror through the darkest times.

“Wolfie saw it all.

The pain, the love, the brokenness.

He was our light — the best of both of us.

” She expressed deep pride in the man he’s become, especially as he continues to honor his father’s legacy through his music.

What fans weren’t expecting, however, was Valerie’s open admission of her own struggles.

Eddie Van Halen's Michigan family opens up about the real rock god

“I wasn’t perfect.

I used food as comfort, I buried myself in work, I avoided the hard conversations,” she confessed.

“But I’ve done the work.

I’ve gone to therapy.

I’ve made peace with the past.

That peace, she says, has allowed her to finally speak up — not to tear Eddie down, but to tell the truth about the pain and complexity of loving someone with a disease as consuming as addiction.

“People need to understand, it’s not about blame.

It’s about survival.

I want people — especially women — to know it’s okay to walk away when you’ve given all you can.

The revelation has ignited a wave of support online.

Valerie Bertinelli Gets Emotional Recalling a Rare Story About Her Late Ex  Eddie Van Halen

Fans and celebrities alike are praising Bertinelli for her bravery and vulnerability.

“Valerie’s story is one that so many can relate to,” one fan tweeted.

“Behind every rock star romance is a reality we don’t see.

Thank you for finally telling yours.

Others are rewatching old interviews and moments between Valerie and Eddie through a new lens — one tinted with compassion, pain, and now, understanding.

Though Eddie Van Halen is no longer here to speak his side, Valerie made it clear: “He loved me, and I loved him — fiercely.

That’s the truth.

Our story didn’t end with a court date.

It ended with me holding his hand and saying goodbye.

Valerie Bertinelli Ex-Husbands: Tom Vitale, Eddie Van Halen | Closer Weekly

In the end, Valerie Bertinelli didn’t share this story to seek attention or stir scandal.

She shared it to free herself — and perhaps to free others silently suffering in similar relationships.

After 18 years of silence, she’s finally telling her truth.

And in doing so, she’s reminded the world that even rock legends and TV sweethearts live through very real heartbreaks behind closed doors.

This wasn’t just a divorce.

It was a journey of love, loss, survival — and finally, healing.