Vanna White Revealed Pregnancy News On 'Wheel of Fortune' But Deeply Regretted It Just A Week Later

Nov 23, 2021 by apost team

Famous actress and "Wheel of Fortune" hostess Vanna White was unlucky in love for most of her life but still found her happy ending despite countless struggles along the way.

Vanna White was born Vanna Marie Rosich in 1957 in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Her parents divorced at a young age. She was raised by her mother, Joan White, and stepfather, Herbert White. She changed her last name to White when she was still a child.

Vanna's first television appearance was in 1980 when she was one of the contestants on "The Price Is Right." Audiences had no idea that this charming girl would soon become one of the most famous hosts in television history. In 1982, Vanna officially became the host of "Wheel of Fortune." She was 25 years old and looking forward to a long and successful career.

In the 1980s, the star became engaged to soap opera star John Gibson, who was known for his work on The Young and the Restless. The two celebrities were a gorgeous couple and dreamed of starting a family together until tragedy struck. Unfortunately, their plans came to a sudden halt when John tragically died in a plane crash in 1986. 

Vanna tried her hand at love again when she married a man named George Santo Pietro. George is a successful businessman and film director. George and Vanna had two children together: Giovana and Nicholas. 

However, fans of the show may remember that Vanna announced a pregnancy before the birth of their two children that ended in tragedy. Keep reading to learn more about Vanna's love life and how she coped with her miscarriage.

Vanna has a history of using puzzles on the "Wheel of Fortune" to share important news in her life. She announced an engagement to businessman Michael Kaye on the show in 2004. However, the engagement didn't last long, and they called off the wedding in 2006.

Vanna spent decades experiencing heartbreak and pain, but you'd never know it from the bubbly way that she hosts the "Wheel of Fortune." With a series of unfortunate relationships behind her, she focused her attention on raising happy and healthy kids. And then, Vanna met John Donaldson.

"I remember looking at him and thinking, 'He's really cute,'" she said to People in 2019. "We ended up talking for a long time that night. It just works. He lets me be me, I let him be him. There is no drama."

Donaldson is a building developer. He's in the business of creating and renovating high-end homes in Hollywood. The joyful couple has been together for seven years and is showing no signs of breaking up.

Even though there isn't a wedding date on the horizon, there's no denying that Vanna and John have found a magic recipe. We're so happy that they've found something good with each other.

Heartbreak

Vanna is no stranger to tragedy. On May 17, 1986, her fiance John Gibson was killed in a plane crash. The 29-year-old Vanna was utterly crushed as soon as she heard the news. She shared, "The second I heard about it, I fell to my knees. It was just devastating." 

Vanna said that it's only through the support of her family and the fans of Wheel of Fortune that she was able to move on from the loss.

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Vanna opened up about the support from her fans during that time. "I heard from so many people who had shared the same experience of losing someone instantly in an accident, and that really helped me. I didn't feel like I was alone. Because when something like that happens, you immediately think you're the only one," she explained.

Tragedy struck again when Vanna was married to San Pietro. The couple decided to share the news of their first pregnancy on "Wheel of Fortune," so the show created a puzzle that spelled out "Vanna's Pregnant." 

Sadly, they came to regret making the announcement so public. Vanna said, "I so wanted to be pregnant and have a baby, so then when I finally got pregnant, I wanted to tell the world immediately. Obviously, I lost the baby, which was devastating after announcing it."

The television host added, "The good news is I was able to get pregnant again and had two beautiful, healthy children. … But losing a child — there's nothing good about that."

Once again, Vanna leaned on the support of her friends, family, and fans to get through the experience. She said, "You have to take their support and try to be strong. It's so hard, but you just have to think, 'What would they want me to do?'"

When Vanna met him, Santo Pietro owned a famous Italian restaurant in California known as Santopietro. The couple wed in 1990 and went on to have two children. Although the pair had been through so much together, they decided to divorce in 2002.

Despite all she's been through, Vanna remains one of the most heartwarming figures on television.

Are you one of Vanna's loving and supportive fans? We'd love to hear how she's inspired you over the years, and feel free to pass this along to your loved ones.