Valerie Bertinelli is addressing criticism she received after posting a tribute to her late ex-husband, musician Eddie Van Halen. Bertinelli marked the sixth anniversary of Van Halen's death by sharing a throwback photo on social media with the caption, "Photos may fade, like old photos do, but not the memories and never the love."
The post drew a mixed reaction, with some followers questioning Bertinelli's continued reflection on Van Halen, who died in 2020 at age 65. Bertinelli and Van Halen, who share a son, Wolfgang, divorced in 2007 after approximately 26 years of marriage.
Some commenters expressed that it was "weird" for Bertinelli to continue speaking about Van Halen, with one writing on Instagram, "It’s just weird always talking about him as if he’s your identity ….STOP being that EX." Another Facebook comment stated, "Still playing the widow."
In response to the backlash, Bertinelli posted a video on Instagram defending her choice and calling the negative comments "coercive control." She stated, "You can’t tell me how I feel. Nobody can tell you how you feel. My heart can hold a lot of love. I have a big piece right here that’s got Ed’s name all over it ... and if I ever fall in love again, I’ll make room in my heart for that new person without it touching the love I have for Ed, my son, my daughter ... all of the people that I love."
Bertinelli reiterated, "I love Ed. Never stopped loving Ed, and my heart loves a lot. Don’t you wish yours could, too?"
Her sentiments align with past statements. In March, she told People that she and Van Halen maintained a friendly relationship after their divorce, attributing their split to his struggles with drug and alcohol addiction. "I can’t help but love the man. I went through so much with him, and I’m so grateful for the last year that we had," Bertinelli said. "There’ll always be a huge part of my heart that contains Ed. He gave me the greatest gift, our son."
Van Halen was married to Janie Liszewski at the time of his death, having wed in 2009. Bertinelli divorced businessman Tom Vitale in 2022 after 10 years of marriage. She also recently ended a relationship with lifestyle writer Mike Goodnough.