Jon Bon Jovi admits he ‘hasn’t been a saint’ in his 35-year marriage to high school sweetheart Dorothea Hurley

Jon Bon Jovi admitted that he has not always ‘been a saint’ during his 35-year marriage to wife Dorothea Hurley, who he first met in high school in 1980.

While speaking about his longtime love, the Livin’ on a Prayer crooner, 62, praised her ‘tolerance’ of his demanding touring schedule.

‘These are all the wonderful clichés of rock stardom,’ he told The Independent. ‘It’s about never lying about having been a saint, but not being a fool enough to [mess] up the home life, either.’

Additionally, he credited their long-lasting union to a ‘mutual admiration society, and being lucky enough to have grown up together.’

+9
View gallery

Jon Bon Jovi admitted that he has not always ‘been a saint’ during his 35-year marriage to wife Dorothea Hurley; seen in 2019

The couple famously met back in high school in 1980; seen in 1985

Previously, he sang about regretting his past dalliances on the road in his 1993 track, Bed of Roses.

Back in 2007, he explained that due to his career he’s had to miss ‘tons of birthdays and school plays.’

‘I’ve been in one of the biggest rock bands in the world for 25 years, and I’m not a saint, and I have not been a saint,’ he told Best Life magazine, at the time. ‘It’s not like Dorothea came in halfway through the movie and didn’t know who she got.’

He went on to reveal that, despite his busy work, he’s always been committed to his spouse, who he wed at Graceland Chapel in Las Vegas in 1989, and their children.

‘I don’t look at this week’s hot starlet and think about trading in or trading up,’ he said. ‘I don’t have a mistress on the side or another family across town. You’re never going to read that story about me. I have no regard for that whole lifestyle.’

The lovebirds share four children: Stephanie, 30; Jesse, 28; Jake, 21; and Romeo, 19.

Previously, the Grammy winner told People that he ‘was immediately drawn’ to his wife ‘the minute’ he saw her.

‘And that’s never changed — 40 years ago,’ he said in 2020.

Jon Bon Jovi and his wife arrive at his foundation celebration

+9
View gallery

While speaking about his longtime love, the Livin’ on a Prayer crooner, 62, praised her ‘tolerance’ of his demanding touring schedule

+9
View gallery

‘These are all the wonderful clichés of rock stardom,’ he told The Independent . ‘It’s about never lying about having been a saint, but not being a fool enough to [mess] up the home life, either’ (seen in 1984)

‘Having grown up together and grown together. And we really like each other. We want to hang out,’ he told the outlet.

The couple originally met in 1980 while attending Sayreville War Memorial High School in New Jersey, where the Runaway singer confessed she let him ‘cheat off her in history.’

‘I always said I was good at spotting potential too. I have a gift,’ Dorothea joked. ‘He’s cute. I’m shallow. I’ll admit it!’

Jon added: ‘We enjoy each other and we never fell for the trappings of what celebrity can do.

‘We’ve witnessed that happen over the years to people that were close to us and people that we knew from afar,’ he concluded. ‘It’s just what I do, it’s not who I am. I write songs. I happen to be very good at performing them. That’s it.’

+9
View gallery

Additionally, he credited their long-lasting union to a ‘mutual admiration society, and being lucky enough to have grown up together’ (pictured in 2016)

+9
View gallery

The lovebirds share four children: Stephanie, 30; Jesse, 28; Jake, 21; and Romeo, 19 (seen with his family on April 14, 2018 in Cleveland, Ohio at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony)

During his latest interview, the rock star also raved about his son Jake’s engagement to Millie Bobby Brown, 20.

While he was not initially ‘aware’ of his future daughter-in-law’s work on Stranger Things, which propelled her to fame at just at just 12, he noted that he admires ‘her work ethic.’

‘Millie is a movie star. We just went to the premiere of Damsel with her, and Jake’s got his first movie out right now. I’m happy for him,’ the father-of-four gushed.

Brown and Jake got engaged in April 2023 following two years of dating.

+9
View gallery

During his latest interview, the rock star also raved about his son Jake’s engagement to Millie Bobby Brown (seen in Netflix’s premiere of her film Damsel in New York City)

Millie Bobby Brown joins Jake Bongiovi and parents at premiere

‘They are two young people that are pursuing a dream together, so we’re supportive of it, because our hope for them — and Millie’s parents’ hope for them, because Bob and Kelly Brown, too, met when they were very young — is that the kids will grow together,’ the legendary musician said of the duo.

He continued: ‘Anything after that is out of all four of us as parents’ control, but they’re good kids. They’ll figure it out.’

Although Brown previously said Jon would not be performing at her wedding, he teased that he most likely would take the stage, at some point.

‘You know, I doubt her word on that very much,’ he mused. ‘We’ll see! It depends how much wine I have before we get to the moment where she sticks the mic in my face.’