Who Is Vanna White's Boyfriend? All About John Donaldson
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Vanna White has been in a relationship with John Donaldson since 2012
Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
Meet Vanna White's longtime boyfriend.
The Wheel of Fortune icon has been dating John Donaldson since 2012, a romantic relationship that she previously told PEOPLE "just works."
White was introduced to Donaldson over a decade ago following her amicable split from restaurateur George Santo Pietro in 2002.
White and Santo Pietro wed in 1990 and famously announced that she was pregnant with their first child via a puzzle on the game show in 1992.
However, a week later, she revealed that she had a miscarriage. "I so wanted to be pregnant and have a baby, so then when I finally got pregnant, I wanted to tell the world immediately," she told PEOPLE in 2019, recalling the "devastating" news.
But White recalled "good news" too, sharing that she "was able to get pregnant again and had two beautiful, healthy children." She and Santo Pietro welcomed a son named Nicholas in 1994 and a daughter named Giovanna "Gigi" in 1997.
Over the years, White has been open about her past relationships, particularly the tragedies she's faced and how fans, family and faith have helped her cope. In 1986, White lost her then-fiancé, Young and the Restless actor John Gibson, who was killed in a plane crash.
"I heard from so many people who had shared the same experience of losing someone instantly in an accident, and that really helped me," White told PEOPLE. "I didn't feel like I was alone. Because when something like that happens, you immediately think you're the only one."
Outside of her romantic relationships, White has also maintained a decades-long friendship with her Wheel of Fortune co-host Pat Sajak over the past 40 years. White recently told PEOPLE that "it is" hard to imagine a world where neither herself nor Sajak is hosting the series.
"I think when Merv Griffin chose both of us, 40 and 41 years ago, he saw something between us — a brother-sister type relationship," she said. "And I think that is kind of what it is. He saw that we would be able to get along, and we do. We are like a brother and sister team."
Here's everything to know about White's boyfriend, Donaldson.
He's a California native
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Donaldson is a California native, born and raised in Santa Monica. Since he was young, he knew he wanted to work in the construction industry, a career that began when he accepted a job as a laborer in the San Fernando Valley.
His early duties ranged from packing lumber for $5 per hour on a commercial job site to becoming a carpenter driving around neighborhoods looking for work on framing crews. His hard work was recognized, eventually leading to his head foreman gig working on luxury homes in the Hollywood Hills.
Donaldson's resume was star-studded, with names including Richard Dreyfuss, Dan Akroyd and Martin Mull. Eventually, he earned his contractor's license and picked up various construction projects of his own — in part which led him to his ultimate goal to run his own shop.
Related: 'Wheel of Fortune' Host Pat Sajak Says 'The End Is Near' After 40 Years
He's owns a construction company in California
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Donaldson owns his own construction company, JDC Construction + Development Group, in California. He is the president and building developer at the company, which was previously known as John R. Donaldson, Inc. until July 2014.
"JDC prides itself on its tradesman roots and the insight which years of hands on experience provides to property owners, architects and engineers in developing realistic plans for revitalization projects, as well as finding appropriate solutions to renovation challenges," the company states on its website.
Introduced in 1987 and based in Southern California, JDC specializes in "the restoration and rehabilitation of Multifamily properties and now the development of new ground up multifamily projects." According to the site, Donaldson built his general contracting firm "on the foundations of trust and professionalism" through good economic times and bad.
He takes pride in his restoration projects
Vanna white/instagram
Throughout his career, Donaldson has taken on major projects as a result of natural events that occurred in California. Among them was the devastating 1994 Northridge earthquake that occurred on Jan. 17 in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles.
"Working on these earthquake-damaged buildings was a great learning experience in understanding how to conduct major repairs and maintain the building’s architectural integrity," reads Donaldson's company website. At the time, Donaldson and his partner took on the project before going their separate ways in 1998.
"John says that he finds great satisfaction in being able to help transform old dated buildings and bringing them new life," the website states. "He adds value to these projects not only through his construction expertise, but through his ability to work closely with architects and others in conceptualizing the creative aspects of the redevelopment."
He's been dating Vanna for over a decade
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White and Donaldson's romance dates back to 2012 after the TV personality and Santo Pietro split amicably in 2002. White met the real estate developer when a friend brought him to one of her barbecues.
"I remember looking at him and thinking, 'He's really cute,'" she told PEOPLE with a laugh. "We ended up talking for a long time that night." They've been together ever since.
"It just works," she said of their breezy relationship. "He lets me be me, I let him be him. There is no drama."
Since then, they've made various public appearances together. Donaldson has accompanied White on several red carpets and charity events — some of which include the 2016 Cyrsalis Butterfly Ball, the 2017 Brent Shapiro Foundation For Alcohol and Drug Prevention fundraiser and the 2019 annual Race to Erase MS Gala.
He's considered "family" to Vanna
Vanna White Instagram
In addition to showing support for one another at public events, White never shies from showcasing her love for Donaldson on social media. She often posts sweet tributes on Instagram, uploading images paired with captions dedicated to her partner and two kids.
"Happy New Year from Our Family to Yours!" White wrote alongside one photo on Instagram, which showed Donaldson, Gigi and Nikko in a group shot. She also regularly posts family Christmas photos of her and Donaldson with her children each year.
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