Vanna White's Love Life Explained

Television hostess Vanna White has been married and divorced once: She is a doting mother of two!  

Thanks to her lasting legacy on a television game show, Vanna White has been a household face and a constant media fixation for over four decades. Known for co-hosting the long-running game show, Wheel of Fortune, alongside her co-host, Pat Sajak, White has also tried her hands at various streams in the industry, including acting.  

Born Vanna Marie White on February 18, 1957, in Horry County, South Carolina, White's venture into television game shows began after she contested on The Price Is Right. White has held the position of regular hostess on Wheel of Fortune since 1982 and sealed the deal to co-host the upcoming 2025-26 seasons as well.  

Inside Vanna White's Dating History!   

Throughout her life in the spotlight, White has experienced her share of romances and heartbreaks. The television hostess is ever grateful to her Wheel of Fortune fans, whom she credits for helping her through a tough time.   

White was in the fourth year of her hosting stint on the game show when her fiancé, actor John Gibson, best known for starring in Young and the Restless, died in a plane crash in 1986." It was May 17, 1986. The second I heard about it, I fell to my knees. It was just devastating," White recalled years later before crediting her fans for giving her love and hope during the tragic time.  

It took Vanna four years to cope with the loss and in 1990, she married her first husband, restaurateur George Santo Pietro. Two years after her wedding, the Totally Minnie star announced her first pregnancy via a puzzle on the Wheel of Fortune. White had to endure another tragedy when she miscarried the baby shortly after.   

Once again, Vanna turned to her fans' love and support to navigate the void. Like a rainbow at the end of a storm, Vanna's life also saw a positive turning when she welcomed her firstborn, Nikko Santo Pietro, in June 1994, and her daughter, Gigi, in 1997. White's oldest, Nikko, 29, is a man of many talents. He is a professional chef, licensed real estate agent, and a television personality.   

White's daughter, Gigi, on the other hand, is a photographer, and a tattoo artist. Vanna's first marriage was a low-key and successful affair until it wasn't. The game show host and Pietro called it quits after 12 years in 2002 and continued to keep mum about their post-split relationship.   

Following her divorce from George in late 2002, White was single for a while, but love knocked on her door again. She eventually started dating Southern California businessman Michael Kaye but kept the relationship under the radar. The pair got engaged in 2004 only to call it quits in 2006.  

Who is Vanna White Dating?  

One doesn't need to take a spin to guess Vanna's current relationship status. White is and has been in a stable relationship for a long time and the Wheel of Fortune star recently gave fans a much-needed update. The mother of two, 66, explained why she hasn't married her beau, contractor John Donaldson, her boyfriend of 12 years.   

White is set to co-host the upcoming 2025 and 26 seasons of 'Wheel of Fortune'

The game show hostess shares, "I mean, we've been together 12 years, and I feel like we are married," Vanna further adds, "Do we have to get married? No, because we feel comfortable in our relationship." The Wheel of Fortune star says she and Donaldson seldom discuss getting married. Giving fans the benefit of the doubt, White says "But you never know."   

Vanna had been a divorcee for more than a decade when she came across Donaldson through a mutual friend in 2012. Calling John the "male version" of herself, Vanna said, "He lets me be me, I let him be him. There is no drama." Although the pair are yet to bond in holy matrimony, they are practically a family, with Donaldson acting as the ultimate stepfather to Vanna's kids.   

Vanna's beau, Donaldson, is the owner of JDC Construction + Development Group, in California. He may be best known for long dating the Wheel of Fortune star, but John's circle consists of more celebs than one can imagine. Over the years, the California-based contractor and developer has worked with stars like Dan Akroyd, Richard Dreyfuss, and Martin Mull. 

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