The musician Edward Lodewijk Van Halen was an American. At the age of 65, Van Halen passed away after a stroke at Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, on October 6, 2020, surrounded by his wife Janie, son Wolfgang, who was the band’s bassist at the time, ex-wife Valerie Bertinelli, and brother Alex, who was the band’s co-founder and drummer. Later that day, Wolfgang posted on social media to confirm his passing.
He co-founded the rock group Van Halen with his brother Alex Van Halen in 1972, serving as the band’s guitarist, keyboardist, backup vocalist, and principal songwriter. In Pasadena, some of Van Halen’s childhood sites were turned into memorials where fans could pay their condolences.
Jan Van Halen and Eugenia (née van Beers) welcomed Edward Lodewijk Van Halen into the world on January 26, 1955, in Amsterdam. His father was a Dutch jazz pianist, saxophone, and clarinetist who performed with local artists like Snip en Snap and Jos Cleber while serving in the Dutch Air Force.
In 1995, Eddie received a diagnosis of chronic avascular necrosis. He had hip replacement surgery due to persistent injuries from previous high-risk acrobatic stage acts and collisions, in 1999.
In 2000, Van Halen started therapy for tongue cancer. About one-third of his tongue was removed during the ensuing surgery. In 2002, he was deemed cancer-free.
Van Halen gave 75 guitars from his own collection to the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation in February 2017. This organization gives students in low-income schools access to musical instruments. At a Van Halen performance in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1980, the band met actress Valerie Bertinelli. Eight months later, on April 11, 1981, they were married in California. In 1991, they had a son named Wolfgang.