From cooking together to helping the homeless, how Jon Bon Jovi and Dorothea's marriage lasted 33 years
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The 33-year-long romantic marriage of Jon Bon Jovi and his wife Dorothea Hurley is undoubtedly the epitome of what writers mean when they say “true love never fades away.” Bon Jovi and Dorothea first met as high school students and went on to build a relationship that everyone adores. They have proven what true love is like by remaining at each other's sides during thick and thin.
Bon Jovi and Dorothea first met in 1980 when they were high school students at Sayreville War Memorial High School, New Jersey. As Jon remembered, he was the one who first fell head over heal for Dorothea who allowed him to look at her answers during a test. "I was immediately drawn to her from the minute I saw her and that never changed,” the ‘It’s My Life’ singer told People. The couple soon felt the connection and began dating. However, their steadfast romance hit a snag when they briefly broke up in 1985, according to Amomama.
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'Didn't tell a soul'
During this time, Jon left to tour with his band and started dating actress Diane Lane, according to People. The distance between Jon and Dorothea made them long for each other and eventually rekindled their relationship. The couple finally exchanged vows in 1989, nine years after they met. Their Las Vegas wedding was an on-the-spot decision without anyone knowing. "We had the No. 1 album, the No. 1 single, and we were playing three nights at the Forum in L.A.," he told Men's Health in 2010. "I turned to Dorothea and said, 'I got an idea. Why don't we go right now?' She said, 'You're out of your mind.' I said, 'Come on. What's better than this, right now, this moment?' And so we ran off to Las Vegas. Didn't tell a soul."
The high school sweethearts then welcomed four children, who are now all grown up — Stephanie, 30, Jesse, 28, Jake, 20, and Romeo, 19. Previously, Dorethea revealed that she and Jon intended to keep their children out of the public eye. "We never really drag the kids to things," Dorethea told People, adding "I never pointed at the TV and said, 'There's Daddy!' We try hard just to give our kids a normal life." Jon and Dorothea's marriage has withstood the test of time as the singer credits his wife for the success of their relationship.
'My wife has been phenomenal'
He claims that mutual respect has been the key to a happy married life for over three decades. ″Having grown up together and grown together. And we really like each other. We want to hang out," he told People. Jon and Dorothea’s marriage suffered a dark period when the singer was struggling with mental health issues after his guitarist Richie Sambora abruptly left the band. Jon was in a dark phase for around three years and his wife was the one who pulled him out of the dark. Jon admitted that he may not have recovered without Dorothea's help.
"My wife has been phenomenal," he said. In addition to being each other's support system, Jon and Dorothea are known for helping other people in need. The singer and his wife runs the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation, which aims to end hunger and homelessness through their pay-what-you-can Soul Kitchen restaurants and food bank. Dorothea previously revealed that their charity work has now become a reason behind their successful marriage. "We look at each other, 'They need a food bank. Let's open a food bank!' We just go and do it," she said.
As people who genuinely care for other people's well-being, Dorothea and Jon work on what society needs. The organisation initially concentrated on homelessness but the pair gradually broadened their initiatives to feed the needy. By 2020, the JBJ Soul Kitchen had three community restaurants in New Jersey. The duo are phillanthropic heroes in their own right as they have continue to grow their food bank program.