Lifestyle Food Why Eddie Van Halen’s Loved Ones Ordered Pizza to His Hospital Room Moments After His Death (Exclusive) The rocker died from cancer at age 65 in October 2020 By Nicholas Rice Nicholas Rice Nicholas Rice is a Senior Editor for PEOPLE Magazine. He began working with the brand as an Editorial Intern in early 2020, before later transitioning to a freelance role, and then staff positions soon after. Nicholas writes and edits anywhere between 7 to 9 stories per day on average for PEOPLE, spanning across each vertical the brand covers. People Editorial Guidelines and Liz McNeil Liz McNeil Liz McNeil is an Editor at Large at PEOPLE, where she's worked for over 30 years. People Editorial Guidelines Published on April 7, 2024 09:13AM EDT Close Eddie Van Halen, Wolfgang Van Halen and Valerie Bertinelli. Photo: wolf van halen/ Instagram Eddie Van Halen’s family celebrated his life with one of the musician's favorite foods. Van Halen died in the hospital, at age 65 in October 2020 from throat cancer, with his ex wife Valerie Bertinelli holding one hand and their son, Wolfgang Van Halen, holding the other. "I didn't want to believe it was happening. Even while it was happening, I wasn't believing it was happening," Bertinelli, 63, tells PEOPLE for this week's cover story. The group, which also included Eddie's brother Alex, and his two sons, found comfort with one of his favorite foods. "I forget who suggested it, but we were like, 'Should we have pizza?' ... Because he couldn't eat, and the last thing Ed really wanted was pizza," Bertinelli says. "He loved pizza and burritos, so we had pizza in his hospital room. I hope people don't think that's morbid." "He knew how much I loved him," she recalls. "I knew how much he loved me. The last words he said to me and to Wolfie were, 'I love you.' Ed was very giving with his heart. He wore it on his sleeve." Eddie Van Halen with Valerie Bertinelli and son Wolfgang in 1994. Valerie Bertinelli Instagram Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Valerie Bertinelli Is in Love! How the Romance with Her New Man Started Online: ‘My Belly Is Flip-Flopping’ (Exclusive) Wolfgang revealed his dad's death at the time on social media. "I can't believe I'm having to write this, but my father, Edward Lodewijk Van Halen, has lost his long and arduous battle with cancer this morning," he wrote in a post. "He was the best father I could ask for. Every moment I've shared with him on and off stage was a gift." "My heart is broken and I don't think I'll ever recover from this loss," he added. "I love you so much, Pop." Valerie Bertinelli. John Russo How Valerie Bertinelli Freed Herself from Body Shame and Learned to 'Indulge' in Food, Life and Love (Exclusive) Bertinelli and Eddie were married for 20 years. “I continued for years to rewrite the facts in my head and build them into some sort of fantasy," the the Indulge author tells PEOPLE. "But now I know we were never going to get back together. We were becoming kinder souls to one another. Our bond was the unconditional love we had for our son.” For more on Valerie Bertinelli, pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE on newsstands now.