Real-Life Couples From the ‘Touched by an Angel’ Cast: See Who Stars Roma Downey and Della Reese Were Married To

You may remember Touched by an Angel as one of CBS’ highest-rated drama series, starring actresses Roma Downey and Della Reese, as well as actor John Dye. The show followed three angels—Tess, Monica and Andrew—who traveled to Earth in hopes of spreading inspiration to people who were facing a crossroads in life. 

Touched by an Angel ran for nine seasons, from 1994 until 2003, putting out a total of 211 episodes. But behind-the-scenes, stars like Roma Downey and Della Reese had their own relationships and marriages. With a few trips down the aisle, the birth of their children and divorce, the stars of the series were busy taking care of their personal lives. Get the inside scoop on the real-life couples of Touched by an Angel.

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Roma Downey and Leland Orser

Touched By an Angel star Roma Downey was previously married to her first husband, actor Leland Orser, for two years. The couple exchanged vows in 1987, but their union didn’t last long, as it came to an end two years later.

Roma Downey and David Anspaugh

Downey’s second marriage to television and film director David Anspaugh lasted for about three years. The couple married in 1995, and they welcomed one child together, daughter Reilly, in 1996. Downey and Anspaugh weren’t together for much longer as they divorced in 1998. 

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Roma Downey and Mark Burnett

Downey and her current husband, Mark Burnett, the reality TV producer, met in an unlikely way: at the hair salon. 

“He was having a haircut, and I was having a pedicure,” Downey said. “Our eyes met in the mirror, you know, once, twice—and then I thought, ‘I can’t look over again,’ and I did.”

In 2004, the couple began dating and they were married by 2007. Although they didn’t have any children together, Downey did become the stepmother of Burnett’s two sons, James and Cameron.

“We fell in love, and we’ve been inseparable ever since,” she shared. “We’ve brought our children together; we blended a family—it was a marriage of five people. We’re a good team, and it’s such a blessing.” 

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Della Reese and Vermont Taliaferro

The first of Della Reese’s husbands was Vermont Taliaferro. The couple tied the knot in 1951 and were married for about 7 years before divorcing in 1958. They didn’t have any children together.   

Della Reese and Leroy Gray

Not long after her first divorce, Reese married her second husband, Leroy Gray. Their relationship was a short one, as they decided to split in 1961. The year of their divorce, Reese adopted Deloreese Daniels from a family member who could no longer care for her.

Della Reese and Franklin Lett

In 1983, Reese exchanged vows with her third husband, film producer Franklin Lett. The couple met later in life, despite growing up near each other in Detroit. Reese and Lett welcomed three children together: Dominique, James and Franklin. They were together for 34 years until Reese’s death in 2017. 

Valerie Bertinelli and Eddie Van Halen 

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Bertinelli, who starred on Touched By an Angel as Gloria, was previously married to Eddie Van Halen. The couple first met backstage at a Van Halen concert in 1980, and they had instant chemistry. They wed less than a year later.

During their union, Bertinelli and Van Halen welcomed one son together, Wolfgang Van Halen, on March 16, 1991. The two remained together for nearly another decade before separating in 2001. Their divorce was finalized in 2007.

Valerie Bertinelli and Tom Vitale 

In 2004, Bertinelli met her second husband, Tom Vitale, after they both had gone through a separation. After dating for six years, the couple got engaged and eventually married on January 1, 2011. They were together for about 10 years before splitting up and filing for divorce in 2022. Bertinelli and Vitale didn’t have any kids together.