Eddie Van Halen’s ex-wife Valerie Bertinelli has paid a touching tribute to the late rock icon.
The 60-year-old actress shared a sweet picture of the Van Halen co-founder, their son Wolfgang Van Halen, and herself, after he sadly passed away on Tuesday (06.10.20), aged 65, following a “long and arduous battle” with cancer.
Valerie – who separated from Eddie in 2001, and divorced him six years later – revealed she and Wolfgang, 29, were there to hold the musician in his final moments, while she thanked him for giving her “the one true light in my life”, their son.
Underneath the black white photograph, the ‘One Day at a Time’ star wrote on Instagram: “40 years ago my life changed forever when I met you.
“You gave me the one true light in my life, our son, Wolfgang. Through all your challenging treatments for lung cancer, you kept your gorgeous spirit and that impish grin. I’m so grateful Wolfie and I were able to hold you in your last moments. I will see you in our next life my love.”
Tributes continue to flood in for Eddie.
Kiss star Gene Simmons has admitted he is “devastated” by the news and hailed the ‘Jump’ hitmaker a “phenomenon”.
Appearing on UK show ‘Good Morning Britain’ via video link, he said: “I fortunately got to know some greats and I will tell you that they don’t usually heap praise on people that pick up a guitar.
“[Eddie] played emotionally and he taught himself. What you saw was a phenomenon. I’ll never forget they were headlining, they came to New York for the first time, I got backstage and Eddie was all smiles. He always took the high road.”
Of his death, he added: “Only the good die young and I’m devastated.
“Part of this [points at attire] is what rockers do, they hide behind a facade. If I took all of this off I’d be bawling like a 12-year-old kid. Life isn’t fair… this kind beautiful soul, who is also a monster of a talent, has been taken away at such a young age. It was devastating.”
John Mayer described Eddie as a “guitar superhero” who inspired him to play the guitar.
He wrote: “Eddie Van Halen was a guitar superhero. A true virtuoso. A stunningly good musician and composer. Looking up to him as a young kid was one of the driving forces in my needing to pick up a guitar.”
Heavy metal group Pantera said the rock star was a “tremendous influence” on the ‘Walk’ rockers.
They added: “RIP Eddie Van Halen. Van Halen were a tremendous influence on both Vinnie & Dime & Pantera. Hopefully they are all rocking out together now!”
Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth captioned a throwback snap of the pair: “What a Long Great Trip It’s Been..”
And ex-frontman Sammy Hagar admitted he is: “Heartbroken and speechless. My love to the family.”
Eddie Van Halen’s ex-wife Valerie Bertinelli pays tribute to the rock legend
