I Miss My Son!
THE FOOD NETWORK STAR ADMITS THAT DISTANCING FROM HER LOVED ONES HASN’T BEEN EASY
It’s no secret that Valerie Bertinelli is one proud mama! The actress, Food Network host and mother of Wolfgang Van Halen even uses “Wolfie’s Mom” as her handle on Instagram. “When he was little…I would hate to put him down — my whole world was him. And I loved it that way,” she gushes.
Like a lot of parents, she’s found the separation from her child one of the most difficult aspects of the current COVID-19 pandemic. “Even as blessed, as grateful as I am…I want to see my son, I want to have my son,” she admits.
Since the spring, when taping of the 11th season of her popular Food Network series Valerie’s Home Cooking ended early, she’s been holed up in her LA home with husband Tom Vitale and their seven pets. Valerie cooks a lot, keeps up with her book club virtually and looks forward to con- versations with Wolfie, 29, a musician like his father, Eddie Van Halen. “I’ve learned now to call him or just say hi…or just to say nothing, just to hear his voice,” Valerie says. “And, of course, we FaceTime now more than ever, which I absolutely love.”
A QUIET BIRTHDAY
Out of necessity, the former One Day at a
Time star’s celebration of turning 60 in April had to be low-key. “Wolfie did come over one day with his mask and his gloves on, and he wouldn’t come in the house,” Valerie says. “He just stood outside. It’s heartbreaking, but sheltering in place is what’s going to get us through this, as hard and challenging as it is."
After Wolfie fetched his girlfriend from Utah, the couple spent a two-week period in total quarantine at his home. This precaution made Valerie feel comfortable enough to see them on the Fourth of July. “When [Wolfie] gave me a hug, it lasted a long time,” she admits. “I wouldn’t let him get out of the hug. It was just so nice — so nice to hug my son again.”
“You make memories by being with your children.”
— Valerie