Who is Vanna White?
Vanna White is an American TV personality, presenter, actress, and philanthropist. She is known for being the hostess and letter-turner of the popular American TV game show “Wheel of Fortune”. With a net worth of around $70 million, Vanna White is one of America’s richest TV presenters.
Vanna White’s childhood and parents
Vanna White’s full name is Vanna Marie Rosich. She was born on February 18, 1975, in Horry County, near North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, to Joan Marie Nicholas (mother) and Miguel Angel Rosich (father). The TV presenter is 65 years of age as of 2022.
Vanna White’s parents divorced when she was an infant. She was raised by her mother and stepfather, Herbert Stackley White Jnr, a former real estate broker. She took on her stepfather’s name “White” after he adopted her legally at the age of 3. She reportedly knew for the first that he wasn’t her biological father at the age of 12.
Unfortunately, Vanna White lost her stepfather in April 2022. Her mother had died of ovarian cancer in 1980. White announced her stepdad’s death in a heartfelt post where she added that he died peacefully. She reportedly has a younger brother named Herbert White.
Is Vanna White Christopher George’s niece?
Vanna White is often referred to as the niece of actor Christopher George, though the presenter and actress has made it known that they are not in any way biologically related. According to her, her mother had grown up with Christopher’s family and after some years, the actor and his wife, Lynda Day George took her (Vanna) under their care while she was in Los Angeles and looked after her like she was their own relation.
Vanna White’s education and career
Vanna White attended the Atlanta School of Fashion and Design upon her relocation to Atlanta, Georgia after she graduated from high school. She initially started her career as a model, contesting in the 1978 Miss Georgia USA beauty pageant before appearing on TV in 1980.
The TV personality made her debut on a TV game show in June 1980 when she appeared on one of the episodes of “The Price is Right” as one of the first four contestants. She starred in a film that same year but the movie was delayed and only released after a decade in 1990 with the title “Gypsy Angels”.
Vanna White wrote an autobiography in 1987 titled “Vanna Speaks”. She became the host of “Wheel of Fortune” alongside Pat Sajak in December 1982 after the ex-hosts Susan Stafford quit in October of the same year. As the host of “Wheel of Fortune”, Vanna White has gained popularity among the show’s audience who praise her personality and charm.
She was even recognized in the Guinness Book of World Records as TV’s most frequent clapper in 1992 with an average of 720 claps per show, 660 claps per episode, and over 28,000 claps per season. She was also honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in April 2006.
She had the opportunity to host the show alone in 2019 after Sajak was hospitalized for emergency surgery. Vanna has appeared in several other TV shows and films like “Goddess of Love”, “Double Dragons”, “Full House”, “Simon and Simon”, and others. She has also performed as a voice artist in the TV series “Captain Planet and The Planeteers” and “The Real Story of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” in the 90s.
Vanna White’s lawsuit against Samsung Electronics
Vanna White reportedly received $403,000 dollars from Samsung Electronics after she sued them for featuring a parody of her in one of their advertisements. According to her, her personality rights were violated in the advert where a robot was used to depict her act of flipping letters during the game show.
Wiki Profile of Vanna White
| Full name | Vanna Marie Rosich |
| Nationality | American |
| Age | 65 years old |
| Date of birth | February 18, 1957 |
| Marital status | Divorced |
| Husband | George Santo Pietro (ex) |
| Alma matter | Atlanta School of Fashion and Design |
| Height | 5″ 6 inches |
| Career | TV Presenter |
| @officialvannawhite |
Vanna White’s marriage and relationships
Vanna White has been married only once, though she has been in several relationships. She was previously married to restaurant owner George Santro Pietro. She got married to him in December 1990 and they divorced in November 2002, after 12 years of marriage, citing “irreconcilable differences”. Vanna filed for divorce in May but the divorce was finalized in 2002. Her union with the restaurateur was blessed with 2 children.
Prior to her marriage to George Santro Pietro, Vanna White was in a relationship with American actor, John Gibson. Unfortunately, John lost his life in a plane crash in 1986 and his death was traumatic to Vanna. He was reportedly a Chippendales dancer who later became an actor.
Two years after divorcing her husband, Vanna White began dating Southern California business mogul, Michael Kaye in 2004. Vanna White and Kaye got engaged but still ended things in 2006, after two years of dating. Vanna had no publicly known relationship for about six years after she ended things with Michael Kaye, up until 2012 when she met her new lover, John Donaldson. She met John Donaldson through her mutual friends and they have been dating for a decade without making the relationship official.
List of Vanna White’s marriage and relationships
- American actor John Gibson dated Vanna White during the peak of her career in the 80s.
- Geroge Santro Pietro was married to Vanna White from December 1990 to November 2002.
- Michael Kaye, a South California business tycoon dated Vanna White from 2004 to 2006.
- John Donaldson is Vanna White’s current boyfriend. They have been dating since 2012.
About Vanna White and John Donaldson’s relationship
Vanna White and John Donaldson became an item in 2012. They have been dating for 10 years but are not officially married.
The star presenter often times refers to Donaldson as her husband. However, she has made it known that she and her lover see no reason to rush things and they even feel as though they are married. She has described John Donaldson as an understanding and caring man who takes her for who she is and supports her career. According to White, Donaldson also gets along well with her children.
The lovebirds were rumoured to be getting married in 2018 but the fear of being jinxed prevented them from signing the prenuptial agreement. Reports gathered by DNB Stories Africa had it that Vanna White was anxious about walking down the aisle before her 65th birthday. The wedding was supposed to hold during last year’s summer in Hawaii but was called off.
About John Donaldson
John Donaldson is the current boyfriend of American TV host Vanna White. He is a California-based real estate developer and contractor and the president of JDC Construction and Development. While Donaldson’s exact age is not known, he is speculated to be in his 60s. According to reports sighted by DNB Stories Africa, he founded his organization in 1992 and he has worked on the homes of Hollywood stars like Richard Dreyfuss, Dan Akroyd, and Martin Mull.
Vanna White’s children
Vanna White is the proud mother of two children – a boy, and a girl. She had the children with her ex-husband, George Santo Pietro. The children are named Nicholas Pietro and Giovanna Pietro respectively. Nicholas is nicknamed ‘Niko’, while Giovanna is nicknamed ‘Gigi’. The presenter is so fond of her children and often brings them to the “Wheel of Fortune” show.
About Vanna White’s son – Nicholas Pietro
Nicholas Pietro is the first child and son of Vanna White. He was born on June 10, 1994. He is 28 years old as of 2022. The young man is said to be a graduate of Oregon State University. He also reportedly attended the University of Arizona.
According to his IG page, Nicholas Pietro loves travelling, hanging out with friends, and eating delicious food. He was reportedly dating a Liberian monk, Jaycee Akinsanya. The presenter’s son revealed in 2013 that he and Jaycee have a special relationship, though it is not known if they are still together.
About Vanna White’s daughter – Giovanna Pietro
Giovanna Pietro is the second child of Vanna White. She was born on July 2 1997. She is 25 years old as of 2022. She graduated from New York University Tisch School of Arts in 2019 majoring in Art, Photography, and Drawing. According to her social media page, she is an apprentice at a tattoo studio in Huntington Beach.
