Eddie Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli’s Turbulent Year

This just doesn’t seem to be Eddie Van Halen’s year. It was recently announced that rocker Eddie Van Halen and his wife of 21 years, actress Valerie Bertinelli, have split. No word yet on who will have custody of their 11-year old son, Wolfgang, or even if a divorce was imminent. Heidi Schaeffer, Bertinelli’s publicist, did confirm that the couple officially split in October 2001. Add this to the fact that this year he battled tongue cancer and his band remains quiet even though his former two frontmen, David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar are touring together for one of the summer’s "biggest tours."

Van Halen and Bertinelli met backstage at a Van Halen concert and they were married on April 11, 1981. They were both at the height of their popularity with her starring on the hit show One Day at a Time and him the mastermind behind the hit rock band Van Halen. Since that time there have been constant rumors of a break-up. Everything from her not being able to get pregnant, to a miscarriage in 1986, to the fact that after the 1991 birth of their son she was unable to shed the extra weight, to Eddie’s entrance into a rehab clinic in 1990. They always held steadfast and showed the world they were united. Although, Bertinelli once likened him to a brother and said the two didn’t have "a helluva lot in common."

Eddie Van Halen has battled alcohol addiction, entering rehab in 1990; hip replacement surgery in 1999 and a three-year bout with tongue cancer. He was recently given a 100% clean bill of health. As of right now his band seems to remain in the dark with no record label or lead singer. The Van Halen brothers were approached and rejected the idea of touring with their former singers. With his health finally improving, everything else seems to be falling apart. But at least he has his health