Wolfgang Van Halen pays tribute to his late father at the end of each concert with a touching gesture.
Wolfgang recently talked with PEOPLE about both his dad and mom Valerie Bertinelli for a new cover story. Below is an excerpt from the article written by Daniela Avila and Liz McNeil:
Though he’s no longer physically with him, Wolfgang Van Halen never forgets to honor his dad onstage.
Speaking to PEOPLE for this week’s cover story on mom Valerie Bertinelli, on newsstands Friday, the Mammoth WVH frontman shares why he honors his father’s role in his life after every performance.
“The reason I do what I do is because of my dad. So if I didn’t or at least think about him throughout the process, I’d be doing a disservice to my existence,” Wolfgang, 33, tells PEOPLE of why he points to the sky at the end of every concert as a salute to his dad, the late Eddie Van Halen.
He continues, “So I think it’s very important to establish that to thank my dad every night, every time I’m on stage. Just to thank my father and to know that he’s always there with me every night.”
Eddie died in October 2020 following a years-long battle with throat cancer. He was 65.
Reflecting on his close relationship with Bertinelli, 63, Wolfgang stresses the importance of making their time together count.
“A big thing is that she’s the only parent I have, and so I think it’s important to be close to your family and to make that time count because it doesn’t last forever,” he says. “It’s very important to spend every chance you can get with your family. My parents raised me. I wish I could spend more time with my dad, but I can’t, but I can spend time with my mom and it’s the best. She’s the best.”