When Eddie Van Halen Won the Internet With Family Photos
by Best Classic Bands Staff
Eddie Van Halen snapped a photo for a fan at the Tool concert on Oct. 21, 2019, at Staples Center in Los Angeles (Photo via Wolf Van Halen)
One of our most popular stories of 2019…
Eddie Van Halen appeared in a series of photos in late October 2019, both humorous and heartwarming, that elevated the classic rock star to heights he likely never imagined. The first photo, which appeared on Oct. 22, 2019, was of the guitar legend taking a photo for a fan as the concertgoer poses at a Tool concert without realizing it’s EVH he’s asked to snap the photo. Two days later, a series of four family photos appeared of Van Halen, Valerie Bertinelli, and their son, Wolf, smiling and laughing together. All of the pictures appeared on Wolf’s social media accounts, including his Facebook page.
The photos came a week after reports that Van Halen had throat cancer and had been traveling to Germany for treatment. TMZ was the first to post a story on Oct. 13, 2019, that the classic rock legend “has flown to Germany for 5 years to get radiation treatment.”
Related: Eddie Van Halen’s family and peers paid tribute to him when he passed on October 6, 2020
In the caption for the Tool concert photo, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Wolf Van Halen wrote: “A guy asked my dad if he could take a picture of him with the stage behind him, having no idea who he just asked, and that was my favorite moment from the #Tool show last night.” Wolf snapped the now-legendary photo.
Many of the comments on social media have naturally referred to the hapless fan as “a tool.”
The series of four family pictures, posted on Oct. 24, 2019, were captioned simply: Family ❤️
Perhaps they were looking at and reacting to the now-legendary photo of EVH taking a picture of a fan at a Tool concert
Fan reaction was unanimous in their praise. “Magic.” “So great to see everyone smiling. Your dad and mom look great! This should answer any questions people have about your dad’s health. Thank you for sharing them with us.”
The couple were divorced in 2007; both since remarried. Wolf was 28 when he posted these photos.
Related: Our feature on how EVH changed rock guitar
Eddie Van Halen had an earlier bout with tongue cancer, in 2000. He was declared cancer-free two years later. He was a long-time smoker but claims that he developed cancer because of an unusual habit. “I used metal picks – they’re brass and copper – which I always held in my mouth, in the exact place where I got the tongue cancer,” he told Billboard.
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5 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationEddie Van Halen looks good. They all look so happy. I wish them all the best. A beautiful family. I have loved Eddie Van Halen since I was 11 and he was just 26. He will always be my favorite rock star.
Cheers to Ed and the family. Stay well my friend.
Best to you Eddie
Find it in your heart to make peace with “all” of your VH bandmates. Life is too short, and you’ll be glad you did. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year EVH and Family!
Beautiful moments so sad and leaving this I know they’ll cherish Eddie’s memory
Such a tragic loss for them and us as fans
RIP Eddie Van Halen