Valerie Bertinelli's honest revelation on raising son Wolfgang: 'I made a lot of mistakes'
Valerie Bertinelli took to Instagram on May 3 with a candid Instagram post.
The veteran actress and TV personality opened up about the difficulty she faced watching the "Behind the Music" episode featuring her son, rock musician Wolfgang Van Halen.
Known for her iconic roles on television and her marriage to rock icon Eddie Van Halen, Bertinelli pulled back the curtain on the challenges of motherhood in the public eye. "I was finally able to watch Wolfie's Behind the Music. It was not easy," she said in the post.
"I'd stopped it many times because it was just too brutal to watch for many reasons," she added. "One, seeing Wolfie's pain. Two, seeing what a better job I could have done as a parent even though he turned out magnificently. I made a lot of mistakes."
She didn't shy away from confessing that she had to pause the episode multiple times because it was "too brutal to watch."
Her honesty struck a chord with many, shining a light on the complexities of parenting, even amidst fame. "Healing has so many unanticipated twists and turns. It’s ok. It continues. You are amazing and always an inspiration to stay on the path," one user commented.
Having been married to Eddie Van Halen from 1981 to 2007, Bertinelli revealed that beneath the glitz, their marriage grappled with issues like substance abuse and infidelity. Yet, amidst the trials, their bond brought forth their greatest joy: Wolfgang.
In her musings, Bertinelli expressed remorse for romanticizing her marriage into a "fantasy soulmate recreation of history," instead of acknowledging the harsh realities of their relationship and her own missteps.
Wolfgang, 33, Valerie and Eddie's only child, also weighed in on the "Behind the Music" episode via X. Describing the experience as challenging yet cathartic, he said it was an "honor" to tell his story on the music documentary series.
"I don’t normally talk so openly about things, so this was new for me," he wrote.
