Jon Bon Jovi candidly opened up about the highs and lows of his storied music career and his enduring marriage to his high school sweetheart, Dorothea Hurley.
In a heartfelt conversation with Michael Strahan on ABC’s Halfway There special, Jon admitted to enjoying the perks of rock stardom but emphasized the importance of not letting it jeopardize what truly matters.
Reflecting on his early days, Jon humorously remarked: "I’m not saying that there weren’t 100 girls in [my] life," but he quickly clarified his commitment to his roots, stating, “I’m a rock ‘n’ roll star. I’m not a saint. I’m Jon Bon Jovi. It was pretty good. But if you think I was ever going to jeopardize… anything for believing the narcissist in me was real? What a stupid thing to do.”
The Grammy winner praised his wife, Dorothea, for her unwavering support and honesty, revealing, “She’s not afraid to call [me] out on something.”
He added, “She’s also there when I fall. And I’m there for her when she falls. No matter where I went in my career, the ups or the downs, we went there together.”
This profound partnership began in 1980 and withstood a brief separation in 1985 before they eloped to Las Vegas in 1989.
Together, Jon and Dorothea share four children—Stephanie, 30; Jesse, 29; Jake, 21; and Romeo, 20. Their family recently celebrated as their third child, Jake, made headlines for his engagement to Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown.
While discussing his son's upcoming nuptials on “Good Morning America,” Jon shared some marital wisdom, advising the young couple to focus on "growing together," emphasizing that “every day is a challenge and a change.”
Jon’s reflections come as his documentary, Thank You Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, debuted on Hulu, showcasing a screening event in New York City.
Notably, Dorothea was absent from the event, with Jon's representative explaining that she had missed the screening due to a COVID-19 diagnosis but was "feeling well and recovered."
High School Sweethearts
Jon and Dorothea met when they were in high school in 1980 in New Jersey. He recalled to People in 2020: "She let me cheat off her in history," adding: "I was immediately drawn to her from the minute I saw her and that never changed."
Though they broke up for some time in 1985 – and the rockstar dated actress Diane Lane for five months in between – they eventually reconciled, just and Jon's fame was skyrocketing.
Shocking Elopement
In April of 1989, when Jon was 27 and Dorothea was 26, the two shocked everyone when they eloped in Las Vegas without telling anyone about their plans.
They were already engaged at the time and Jon was on tour; he recently recalled to People: "We had a night off, and I said, 'I need a higher high – I got an idea. Let's go to Vegas now.' And she said, 'Now?’ I said, 'Now.'"
"The taxi driver was our witness," he joked, before revealing: "It shocked a lot of people – shocked about everybody: the band, management, agents, lawyers, parents, you name it."
He added: "It's a shame because it should have been a beautiful moment, but after we did it, people were trying to take it away, until I stood up and went, 'Wait a minute, why are we living our life for anyone else?' And 35 years later, we're still married."
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