Why Vanna White Isn't in a Rush to Marry Her Boyfriend of 12 Years
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Vanna White and John Donaldson
Vanna White is one of the most famous women in America, but unlike other stars, her love life flies largely way under the radar.
The Wheel of Fortune letter turner tends to keep her private life close to her chest, but she's happily in L-O-V-E, and her prior relationship history even includes a major A-list star. Find out about Vanna White's husband in her past, as well as Vanna White's boyfriend and relationships, including the lucky guy she's taking a spin with now.
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Who is Vanna White's husband now?
Vanna White isn't currently married, but she admits that she might as well be because her relationship with John Donaldson is rock solid.
“I mean, we've been together 12 years, and I feel like we are married,” White told PEOPLE in October 2023. “Do we have to get married? No, because we feel comfortable in our relationship. You know what I mean? I know that he's the one. He knows I'm the one.”
She added that she and Donaldson haven't really discussed tying the knot.
“We don't really talk about it, but you never know," she admitted. "I mean, I guess we could, but in my eyes and his eyes, we are married.”
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How many times has Vanna White been married and how many children does she have?
White has only been married once, to George Santo Pietro. They walked down the aisle in 1990 and divorced in November 2002.
White and Santo Pietro share son Nicholas "Nikko" Santo Pietro, who is very handsome, and daughter Giovanna "Gigi" Santo Pietro.
They are both quite private, but Nikko went viral when White posted a selfie with him in 2018. Look below and see why!
Hanging with my boy!!! #inthecountry #love pic.twitter.com/691ngRawaZ
— Vanna White (@TheVannaWhite) October 29, 2018
Though she's only been married once, she was also previously engaged twice. In 1986, she was engaged to soap opera actor John Gibson, but he died in small plane crash before they wed.
“It was devastating,” White told Closer Weekly of Gibson's tragic death. “But I got such an outpouring of fan mail, and it really did help to know that I wasn’t alone.”
She was also engaged to businessman Michael Kaye from 2004 to 2006, but they split before getting married.
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Did Vanna White's husband pass away?
Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
White's ex-husband is still alive, but one of her former fiancés, John Gibson, died in a small aircraft crash in 1986.
"It was May 17, 1986," White recalled to PEOPLE in 2019. "The second I heard about it, I fell to my knees. It was just devastating." White said the support from Wheel of Fortune viewers was crucial in helping her get through her grief.
"I heard from so many people who had shared the same experience of losing someone instantly in an accident, and that really helped me," she said. "I didn't feel like I was alone. Because when something like that happens, you immediately think you're the only one."
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Who was Vanna White's ex-husband?
Barry King/Liaison
White's ex-husband is restaurateur George Santo Pietro. They met through a mutual friend. Santo Pietro is quite private, so little else is known about him or their relationship, but they've reportedly remained cordial since their split and amicably co-parented Nikko and Gigi, both of whom are now grown.
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Is Vanna White in a relationship?
White is currently in a relationship with contractor John Donaldson. They've been together since 2012. They met when a friend brought him to a barbecue that White was hosting.
"I remember looking at him and thinking, 'He's really cute,'" she told PEOPLE. "We ended up talking for a long time that night."
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Who is Vanna White's partner now?
White is dating Donaldson, who she's been in a relationship with since 2012. Donaldson is the owner of JDC Construction + Development Group.
"It just works," White told PEOPLE of her romance with Donaldson. "He lets me be me, I let him be him. There is no drama."
