Celebrating Life at 63: Valerie Bertinelli’s Remarkable Birthday Reflection
On April 23, beloved actress Valerie Bertinelli celebrated her 63rd birthday in a unique way—right at the airport. In her typically candid and heartfelt style, she expressed her overwhelming sense of gratitude. "I am so over-the-moon grateful on my birthday this year!" she joyfully shared. "I've survived the hardest six years of my life, and now I'm in Amsterdam. And on Thursday, I get to watch my son open for Metallica! Life is good!"
Overcoming Heartbreak and Challenges
For Valerie, the past few years have been nothing short of emotionally exhausting. She's faced a whirlwind of life-altering events, including the devastating loss of Eddie Van Halen, her son's father, as well as a deeply painful and costly divorce. To top it all off, her Emmy-winning Food Network series, Valerie’s Home Cooking, was unexpectedly canceled. "It just looked endlessly sad, scary, lonely, and stressful," she admitted, reflecting on the difficult journey she's endured.
Barbara Cooper's Legacy Lives On: Finding Hope Amid Hardship
With the same pluck and charm that made her Barbara Cooper on One Day at a Time in the '70s, Valerie remains hopeful that the hardest days are behind her. "I don’t want to live with regrets anymore," she said, echoing the resilience that has defined her career and personal life. Despite the challenges, Valerie continues to inspire others with her determination and optimism.
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Navigating the Unexpected: The End of a Beloved Show
Last summer, as the terms of her divorce from Tom Vitale were still being finalized, Valerie received another blow: the Food Network announced it would not be renewing Valerie’s Home Cooking for a 15th season. "I have no idea why," she candidly admitted a few months later. "Honestly, I was hoping they would change their mind. But they have not." The show, which earned her two Daytime Emmy Awards in 2019, was more than just a job—it was personal.
For Valerie, cooking has always been about more than just recipes. After years of struggling with her weight, crash diets, and food issues, she found solace in sharing her love of cooking. In her 2022 memoir, Enough Already, she wrote, "I went through a long period where food was the enemy. I’ve finally come back to a place where it’s an expression of love and creativity." Now, she's looking forward to new opportunities, including returning to the Food Network for a new season of Kids Baking Championship.
Healing and Moving Forward
Valerie's private life has also seen significant changes. Her marriage to Tom, a financial planner she married in 2011 after six years together, ended in a difficult and costly divorce. "Ed’s death woke her up to certain things," a friend explained. "It made her face harsh realities about her marriage to Tom and her food issues." The couple had been growing apart for some time, but the emotional toll of the split was profound.
In candid posts, Valerie has opened up about the emotional abuse she endured during her marriage. "I have been screamed at so many times and told how fat and lazy I am," she revealed. "I realize … that was someone just projecting on me whatever they needed to project on me, but my part in all of it was believing it. I don’t believe it anymore, but it still doesn’t stop the feelings from coming up and the hurt." The divorce settlement, which saw Valerie paying $2.2 million to Tom, was a painful but necessary step toward healing.
Rebuilding Trust and Finding Peace
While the divorce left Valerie with trust issues when it comes to men, she's focusing on her recovery and self-care. "I believe that a lot of emotional pain is stored in the body, and I’m doing my best to heal from it in every way—my therapy, my journaling, my meditation, rolfing," she explained. Rolfing, a practice aimed at relieving tension through deep tissue manipulation, has been particularly helpful, even though it's painful. "There is a release that happens that’s really helpful," she admitted.
Love and Forgiveness: Lessons from the Past
Through it all, Valerie has learned valuable lessons about resilience and the power of love. The death of her first ex-husband, Eddie, her self-professed "soulmate," taught her that love can endure even the toughest challenges. "No matter what you go through, you can always find your way back to love and forgiveness," she reflected. "We were able to do that." Now, she's focusing on the blessings in her life, including her family and good health.
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On her recent trip to Europe, Valerie enjoyed quality time with her younger brother Patrick, her son Wolf, 32, who is touring in support of his upcoming solo album, and his fiancée, Andraia Allsop. "She adores Andraia," a friend shared. "She is really looking forward to the wedding." Valerie's positive outlook is evident in her daily choices. "I get to choose every day whether I’m thankful and in gratitude or whether I just want to be a bitch and just scream," she said on a podcast. "And I choose to be grateful and be thankful because I also get to learn so much."
