Meet Jon Bon Jovi's 4 Kids

Jon Bon Jovi is a respected musician, but there's another side to him that's perhaps less known — his life as a family man. The "Bed of Roses" singer and his wife, Dorothea Bongiovi, are parents to four children: Stephanie, Jesse, Jake, and Romeo. Some have chosen a career or a relationship that has thrust them into the spotlight, while others prefer a quieter life. What is clear is the unconditional love they all receive from their father.

"You think you're in love when you're a kid and you meet your wife and get married, but you know you're in love after you have a child," Bon Jovi told People. Their children are a priority, and even as they grow older, they still stay close. "Our focus has always been family first and making sure that people are doing well. We like each other. We spen[d] a lot of time together," Dorothea told People in a 2020 interview.

Meet Jon Bon Jovi and Dorothea's four children and discover who they are.

Having a famous father means Stephanie Rose Bongiovi was thrust into the limelight. Her actions have not been kept private, despite what was a very private moment in 2012. Stephanie, a 19-year-old college student at the time, made headlines when she was arrested for a "suspected drug overdose" after using heroin, NBC News reported. The incident took place in the Hamilton College dormitory.

"On Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2012, members of the Kirkland Police Department arrested two Hamilton College students and charged them with possession of marijuana and possession of a controlled substance, both misdemeanors," the college statement read. "In addition to violating state law, the actions alleged to have been committed by the students violate Hamilton College policy."

Jon Bon Jovi made a statement to the press a week later. "This tragedy was something that I had to face, too, so we'll get through it," he told Los Angeles' Fox 11 (via CBS News). "And people's warm wishes for my family and I have been really reassuring. So, we're good." He later addressed the incident again, this time in an interview with the Mirror in 2013. "It was horrible, a horrible moment," he reflected. "It was my worst moment as a father." The "It's My Life" singer also referred to what happened as a "terrible tragic lesson of life" and expressed his gratitude that his daughter recovered from it. The publication also notes that the charges were later dropped.

Jesse Bongiovi has proven to be a successful businessman, but he seems to also have a pretty great personal life. In 2022, he made headlines after announcing his engagement to longtime girlfriend Jesse Light. Bongiovi asked Light to be his wife while in East Hampton, New York. Excited about their moment, he posted a photo to Instagram showing himself on one knee and kissing Light. "Time to Be Real," Bongiovi wrote in the caption.

A tipster told Page Six the newly-engaged couple celebrated at the Surf Lodge in Montauk, which is believed to be the same place they first met in 2018.

Regarding love and a lasting relationship, Jesse has great role models because his parents have been married since 1989. Jon Bon Jovi and Dorothea Bongiovi spoke about their marriage in an interview with People in 2016. "Somehow it works. I think because we grow at the same rate. We grew equally and not in opposite directions," Dorothea said. Her husband praised her for being "the glue." "She's the one following me with the glue and the thread and needle, keeping it all together," he said.

Jacob "Jake" Hurley Bongiovi is the third child of Jon Bon Jovi and Dorothea Bongiovi and is arguably the most famous. Born on May 7, 2002, in Palm Beach, Florida, Jake has made headlines for his relationship with "Stranger Things" actor Millie Bobby Brown.

Although their relationship timeline is unclear, the couple met on Instagram. "I was interested in him and wanted to know more. As soon as we spoke, I knew he was going to be a huge part of my life," Brown told The Sunday Times. "After we met, we knew we never wanted to leave each other's side." The couple announced their engagement on Instagram in April 2023. "I've loved you three summers now, honey, I want 'em all," Brown captioned a picture, showing a giant engagement ring on her finger. The actor also revealed Jake popped the question with his mother's ring. "I've always loved that ring; it's always stuck out to me, so she gave it to Jake. They were in cahoots about the whole proposal," she told The Sunday Times.

Jake's family approves of the coupling. "A lot of people believe that Jake and Millie are just experiencing young puppy love and that it won't last, but Jake's parents know that it can last because they were the same ages as Jake and Millie when they started dating in 1980," a source told Hollywood Life in 2022. The tipster also said that the family "adore her."

Romeo Jon Bongiovi was born on March 29, 2004. He is the youngest member of the Bongiovi household. There's a significant age gap between him and his eldest sibling (Stephanie was born in 1993). Romeo is still a teenager who, until recently, was in high school in New York. 

While Romeo may choose a life in the spotlight later, at present, there is very little information about him online. This suggests his parents have worked hard to give him an upbringing away from the public eye. "We never really drag the kids to things," Dorothea Bongiovi told People in a 2016 interview. "I never pointed at the TV and said, 'There's Daddy!' We try hard just to give our kids a normal life." She also discussed how they make time for family bonding. "We try to spend as much time having family dinners as possible," she said. "Family is always priority."

Romeo's birth, like his siblings before him, has filled his father with immense joy. "If I could go back and re-live any moment in my life the first thing that comes to mind is the birth of my kids. Because that was such a miracle," Jon Bon Jovi told Big Issue in 2020.