Vanna White recently shared a very rare photo of she and her family, including a glimpse of her longtime boyfriend, John Donaldson.
Despite the fact that the two have been together for almost a decade, she doesn’t post about him much on social media. With the new year came a big change!
Vanna has been with Donaldson for eight years.
Very little is known about their relationship, which is how she prefers it.
All we know is that she got together with him after splitting from businessman Michael Kaye sometime after 2002.
However, she doesn’t plan to marry him.
“We’ve been together for eight years and it seems to be working so we’re both happy, so in my eyes, I feel — in both of our eyes — we feel married.”
They’re fine the way they are.
“So I don’t think you necessarily have to have a piece of paper unless you want to. Everybody’s different, so for each his own.”
Vanna was previously married to filmmaker George Santo Pietro.
They were married for 12 years.
She and George Santo Pietro met in 1985. By 1990, they were married.
She gave birth to two children during their marriage: Nicholas, born in 1994, and Giovanna, born in 1997.
They divorced in 2002.
That’s when she met businessman Michael Kaye, who she had a serious relationship with.
After that, she met John Donaldson. They’ve been dating since then, and he’s clearly close with her kids — they look so happy in their family picture!
Vanna’s New Year’s photo is a yearly tradition.
Each year, she posts a picture of she, Donaldson, Nicholas, and Giovanna to wish everyone a happy holiday.
“Happy New Year from my family to yours!
Love,
Gigi, NIkko, Vanna & John,” she wrote for 2015/2016.
2017 is my fave, tbh.
In 2016, she wrote: “Sending holiday cheer from my family to yours! #happyholidays2016 #familylove”
We need to address the hat on the cat’s head. I just want everyone to see it.
Okay, now we can keep going.
Just kidding, the cat deserves its own moment.
The resentment. The anger. The way it hasn’t moved at all, despite the fact that it’s clearly irritated and would rather not have what looks like an ornament on its head.
I need to know everything about this cat, ASAP.
2017 was a little fancier.
Anyway, back to the humans.
Rather than take a picture outside, Vanna opted to use a picture of their family at an event for the Paley Center.
I bet you can guess what the caption is!
2018 was more laid back.
Last year, she posted a similar shot to her Instagram.
“Happy New Year from Our Family to Yours!” She wrote, with no year hashtag. Vanna’s social media game is evolving, y’all.
As for 2019/2020?
“Happy New Year from our family to yours! #2020,” she wrote on Instagram, posing with Donaldson, Giovanna, and Nicholas in what I can only guess is Hawaii.
No I am not jealous, thank you very much.
Vanna had a crazy 2019.
She actually stepped in for Pat Sajak and hosted Wheel of Fortune for the first time!
In early December, Sajak was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery. Vanna hosted in his place while he recovered.
It was a pretty stressful time for her.
On top of her friend being in the hospital, she was tasked with carrying the whole show.
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“Normally I just stand there and I turn my letters, and I’m just happy as can be not having to worry about anything else,” she said.
Suddenly, she had a huge responsibility.
“I had to carry the show and make sure the contestants were well taken care of. I had to be present for every second, every spin, every letter called, every prize on the wheel.”
But she has no intention of doing it permanently.
She posted a tribute to him on Instagram, writing:
“Wheel without Pat is like a word without vowels. I’ll fill in the blanks until you return. Rest up and we’ll be solving puzzles in no time. (Don’t worry, your job is safe! Well, pretty safe.)”
Aw. Friendship.
