Valerie Bertinelli fired back at online critics after honoring Eddie Van Halen on the sixth anniversary of his death.
The “One Day at a Time” actress, 66, posted a throwback photo of the former couple in a car on Tuesday, captioning it, “Photos may fade, like old photos do, but not the memories and never the love.” Bertinelli and the Van Halen guitarist were married from 1981 to 2007 and share son Wolfgang, 33.
In a follow-up video, Bertinelli explained that she always receives “pushback” when she posts images with the late musician. “It used to really bother me,” she said. “It does not, not anymore. Not any longer, because I learned a lot.”
Bertinelli described how critics operate indirectly. “They will never say, ‘Take that picture down, the one of your ex-husband along with you and your son in better days,'” she continued. “But they say that you’re obsessed, say all kinds of f—ed up s–t until you take the picture down.”
She elaborated on their tactics. “They don’t outright tell you you’re not allowed to love your ex-husband,” Bertinelli vented. “They berate you and berate you for months, make you think you’re crazy until you finally say, ‘OK, fine, I don’t love him.'”
The former Food Network star said Eddie still occupies “a big piece” of her heart. “And, if I ever fall in love again, I’ll make room in my heart for that person, without it touching the love I have for Ed, my son, my daughter-in-law, all the people that I love,” she went on. “Your heart opens up. Because your heart can hold a lot of love. All of our hearts can.”
Bertinelli capped her message with defiance. “So you can’t bother me,” she added. “I love Ed. Never stopped loving Ed. And my heart loves a lot. Don’t you wish yours could too?” She titled the clip, “Strap in haters, let’s go for a little ride.”
Wolfgang Van Halen, 33, also marked the anniversary Tuesday, sharing a photo of Eddie holding him as a baby. “6 years. It doesn’t get any easier,” Wolfgang wrote. “Love and miss you more than you could ever know, Pop.”
Eddie died in October 2020 at age 65 following a stroke, after battling throat cancer for six years. Bertinelli met him at a Van Halen concert in 1980, and they married the next year. She filed for divorce in 2005 following four years of separation.
Following their 2007 divorce, Eddie married Janie Liszewski in 2009; Bertinelli attended the wedding. Bertinelli later married financial planner Tom Vitale in 2011, though they separated after ten years.
The actress has been open about her enduring bond with Eddie since his death, previously sharing memories and acknowledging their complicated but lasting connection. Her Tuesday posts drew support from fans who defended her right to grieve publicly.
Bertinelli’s message about emotional capacity resonated beyond the immediate controversy, touching on broader conversations about whether former spouses can maintain love after separation. She framed her continued affection as a strength rather than a fixation.
The anniversary tributes arrived as Wolfgang continues his own music career, having released solo work under the name Mammoth WVH. He has regularly honored his father’s legacy in interviews and performances since Eddie’s death.
Bertinelli remains active on social media, where she mixes cooking content, personal reflections, and responses to followers. Her clapback Tuesday followed a pattern of direct engagement with criticism rather than ignoring it.