Dorothea Hurley is an American karate instructor and restaurateur best known for being the wife of rock star Jon Bon Jovi, the founder and frontman of the band Bon Jovi.
She met her husband when they were both students at Sayreville War Memorial High School in New Jersey and eloped with him in 1989, at the peak of his fame.
They have four children together and have been married for over 30 years, defying the odds of celebrity marriages.
Dorothea has been a supportive partner for her husband, a devoted mother to her children, a successful businesswoman, and a philanthropist.
Profile
- Full name: Dorothea Hurley
- Date of birth: September 29, 1962
- Age: 61 years old
- Gender: Female
- Place of birth: Parlin, New Jersey, USA
- Nationality: American
- Profession: Karate instructor, restaurateur
- Height: 5 feet 4 inches (163 cm)
- Parents: Donald Hurley and Dorothy Pawlyk
- Siblings: Calvin and Coleen Hurley
- Spouse: Jon Bon Jovi (m. 1989)
- Children: Stephanie Rose, Jesse James Louis, Jacob Hurley, and Romeo Jon
- Relationship status: Married
- Net worth: $3 million
Early Life & Education
Dorothea Hurley was born on September 29, 1962, in Parlin, New Jersey, USA, to Donald Hurley and Dorothy Pawlyk, who were 61 years old in 2023.
She has two siblings: a brother named Calvin and a sister named Coleen. She grew up in a Catholic family and spent summers in Erie, Pennsylvania, with her grandparents.
She attended St. Joseph High School in Metuchen, New Jersey, for her freshman and sophomore years and then transferred to Sayreville War Memorial High School in Parlin, where she met Jon Bon Jovi.
He was a new student who tried to cheat on her paper during a test, but they became friends instead.
He later confessed that he fell in love with her at first sight and wrote a song about her called “Bobby’s Girl.”
However, they started dating when they were in their 20s, as she was involved with his best friend Bobby at the time.
Dorothea has been interested in karate since high school and joined a local dojo. She competed in several tournaments and won many junior championships.
She was ranked the 4th best greenbelt karate master in the USA in 1999 and the 4th best black belt in 2002.
Personal Life
Dorothea Hurley married Jon Bon Jovi on April 29, 1989, in a secret ceremony at the Graceland Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas.
They did not tell anyone about their wedding or their families or band members.
They decided to elope while on tour in Los Angeles, as Jon felt it was the perfect moment to propose. He said, “Come on. What’s better than this, right now, this moment?”
Dorothea agreed, and they ran off to Vegas without any rings or witnesses.
Their marriage was criticized by the media and the management, who thought that it would ruin Jon’s image and career.
However, they proved them wrong by staying together for more than three decades despite the challenges and temptations of the rock and roll lifestyle.
They have four children together: Stephanie Rose, born on May 31, 1993; Jesse James Louis, born on February 19, 1995; Jacob Hurley, born on May 7, 2002; and Romeo Jon, born on March 29, 2004.
They live in Palm Beach, Florida, and have New Jersey and New York homes. Dorothea and Jon have faced some difficult times in their marriage, such as when their daughter Stephanie overdosed on heroin in 2012 and was hospitalized.
Career
Dorothea Hurley is a karate instructor and a restaurateur. She teaches karate at a dojo in New Jersey, where she shares her skills and passion with her students.
She is also a co-owner of the JBJ Soul Kitchen chain of restaurants, which she and Jon founded in 2011.
The restaurants are based on a pay-what-you-can model, where customers can pay for their meals with money or volunteer work.
The restaurants serve healthy and organic food to people from all walks of life, especially those homeless or struggling. The restaurants also provide job training, counseling, and other services to help needy people.
Dorothea and Jon have opened three JBJ Soul Kitchens in Red Bank, Toms River, and Newark, New Jersey.
They have also partnered with Rutgers University to open a student food pantry.
Dorothea and Jon are also involved in charitable causes, such as the JBJ Soul Foundation, established in 2006.
The foundation builds affordable housing for low-income families and veterans and has built over 500 homes.
Social Media
- Instagram handle: N/A
- Twitter handle: N/A
Net Worth
Dorothea Hurley has an estimated net worth of around $3 million.
Her source of income is the chain of restaurants she owns with her husband.
