(Instagram/Vanna White)
Wheel of Fortune hostess Vanna White is currently dating building developer John Donaldson. The 59-year-old White and the 56-year-old Donaldson have been together since 2012.
White was previously married to restaurant owner George Santo Pietro from 1990 to 2002. The couple had two children, Nicholas, and Giovanna.
Outside of her marriage, White hadn’t had much luck with men. Before marrying Pietro, she was dating actor John Gibson until his 1986 death in a plane crash. After Pietro, she was engaged to businessman Michael Kaye from 2004 to 2006 and the two never tied the knot.
Here’s a look at her relationship with Donaldson and her past relationships.
1. Donaldson Owns a Construction Development Company in California
(Getty)
Donaldson is the president of the JDC Construction + Development Group. The company was previously known as John R. Donaldson, Inc. until July 2014.
“Most of our clients already referred to our company as ‘JDC’, even prior to the name change,” Donaldson told Northridge Patch in 2014. “Known in the industry as ‘JDC’, it made sense to officially shorten our name to provide simplicity and brand consistency for JDC employees, and current and future clients.”
Donaldson established the company in 1992 and it was fully incorporated in 1998. The group specializes in residential property renovations in Northern and Southern California. JC also has projects in Seattle.
The company is based in Chatsworth, California.
2. Before Owning His Own Company, Donaldson Worked on High-End Homes for Celebrities
(Getty)
Donaldson, who was born in Santa Monica, has always wanted to be in the construction business and started as a laborer, earning $5 an hour, according to his company bio. Soon, he found himself working as a carpenter.
He eventually joined a construction and development company that worked on homes for Richard Dreyfuss, Dan Akroyd, Martin Mull and other celebrities in the Hollywood Hills. In January 1994, he finally achieved his dream of running his own business. At first, business was booming after the Ma href=”https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_Northridge_earthquake” target=”_blank”>Northridge earthquake. In 1998, he split from his business partner.
A statement on the company site reads:
John says that he finds great satisfaction in being able to help transform old dated buildings and bringing them new life. He adds value to these projects not only through his construction expertise, but through his ability to work closely with architects and others in conceptualizing the creative aspects of the redevelopment.
3. White Says Donaldson Is ‘Kind, Understanding & Lets Me Be Me’
(Instagram/Vanna White)
In February 2016, White sat down for an interview with Closer Weekly. In it, she revealed what she likes the most about Donaldson.
“He is kind, understanding and lets me be me,” White told the magazine.
“The biggest surprise to my fans is probably how simple I live in real life,” White told Closer Weekly. “I’m a real down-to-earth girl. I usually spend my days without makeup, wearing tennis shoes. I love the outdoors. I love waking up early when it’s quiet, going out on the balcony to hear the birds sing.”
4. White Reportedly Wanted to Get Married in 2015
(Instagram/Vanna White)
While White’s Instagram page makes it clear that White and Donaldson are still together, the two haven’t been married yet… or at least she hasn’t said anything publicly.
Back in January 2015, the National Enquirer claimed that White was finally ready to get married.
“Vanna has been unlucky in love – that is, until John came into her life,” a source told the tabloid. “Vanna expects a marriage proposal – probably for Valentine’s Day, with a small family-only destination wedding likely in the spring.”
The source told the Enquirer that White has “really fallen hard” for Donaldson and that he’s “only had eyes for Vanna since they met.”
5. White Was Previously Married to a Restaurant Owner, George Santo Pietro
Vanna White, John Donaldson and her children, Gigi and Nicholas. (Instagram/Vanna White)
White was previously married to George Santo Pietro from December 1990 until November 2002. They had two children together, Nicholas, who was born in 1994; and Giovanna, who was born in 1997. In September 1992, she suffered a miscarriage.
In 2007, Variety reported that Pietro put his massive Beverly Park home up for sale for $50 million. The Italian Villa covered 30,000 square feet and had nine bedrooms and 15 bathrooms.
White keeps her family life very private, although she does occasionally share photos of her children on social media. In September 2013, The National Enquirer claimed that White’s son Nicholas was living with a 34-year-old Hare Krishna monk named Jaycee Akinsanya while attending the University of Arizona. Nicholas told the tabloid that he even took Akinsanya to meet his parents in Los Angeles.
