Laura Giaritta Bio: Inside the Life of Vanilla Ice’s Ex-wife

Laura Giaritta (born 18th of October 1970, Age: 53 years old) is an American woman from Pembroke Pines, Florida. She is best known as the ex-wife of rapper Vanilla Ice.

After a crazy-filled 90s in which he briefly became the biggest rapper in the world before dropping out of public oblivion, Vanilla Ice has reinvented himself. He has headlined an impressive reality TV series, buying and flipping houses. He has also resurrected his music career, dropping more bodies of works and going on tour.

Ice has also made the news for his split from his wife of so many years, Laura Giaritta. He and Giaritta first met when he was no longer a big shot, and they fell for each other. They later tied the knot and went on to stay married for nearly two decades despite several issues. Sadly, the couple called it quits in 2016, and a prolonged divorce battle ensued over money matters.

Laura Giaritta is a Native of Pembroke Pines, Florida.

Laura Giaritta is a native of Pembroke Pines, Florida. Her nationality is American, while her ethnicity is Caucasian. Born on the 18th of October 1970, Giaritta hails from a family of four, including her father – Thomas Giaritta, her mother – Elaine, and a sister named Renee. She also has a retinue of extended family members, including a beloved grandmother.

Giaritta grew up in Pembroke Pines and completed her diploma at a local high school. There are no records to show that she has a college degree, but it could be possible as there is no confirmation to the contrary.

She and Vanilla Ice Met at Party in 1994 and Started Dating That Same Year

Laura Giaritta first crossed paths with Vanilla Ice at a 4th of July Party in 1994. At that time, the rapper was in a low place after experiencing immense success in the past years. In 1990, his single, Ice Ice Baby, was the first rap song to top the Billboard charts, and he became an instant superstar. He had his movie, autobiography, board games, and dolls. He also dated the likes of Madonna. This hot streak lasted for three years before Vanilla Ice faded into obscurity.

He took to doing all manner of drugs and nearly overdosed. He fortunately survived, and it was shortly after that he met Laura Giaritta. She saw beyond his human failings, and they fell in love with each other. They started dating, and she supported him as he made efforts to kick his drug habit. She also supported him in some of the business ventures he set up to make a living. One of them was the extreme sports store, 2 The Xtreme, that he set up in Miami in 1996. She helped out there for several months while they dated.

They Got Married in 1997 and Remained Together for the Next 14 Years

Laura Giaritta and Vanilla Ice dated for about three years before going on to wed on the 30th of March 1997. The wedding took place in their Miami home and was officiated by a notary public. The couple was married for about a year before they welcomed their first child, Dusti Rain. They also welcomed another daughter, and Giaritta stopped working to focus on the kids. She greatly took care of them and also homeschooled them.

While Laura Giaritta was busy on the home front, Vanilla Ice continued his efforts to resurrect his career. He collaborated with several artists and re-started touring. He also appeared on numerous TV shows such as The Surreal Life. All of this helped launch him back into the public consciousness. He became wealthier, and the family was able to live comfortably.

The Couple Separated in 2011 But Only Filed For Divorce in 2016

It is hard to pinpoint the exact reason why Laura Giaritta and Vanilla Ice got divorced. However, one thing that is for sure is that they endured some turbulent times during their union. For instance, Giaritta called the cops on Vanilla Ice for alleged domestic abuse on three occasions. The first time was in January 2001 when the rapper pulled her hair and covered her mouth as they argued while on a trip. He was charged and sentenced to probation. He was also ordered to undergo family therapy.

In 2008, Vanilla Ice was also arrested for assaulting Giaritta. He, however, escaped charges after she recanted. He alleged that she was bipolar and tended to get irrational and argumentative despite her meds. Giaritta rejected these allegations and maintained that she came from a leave-it-to-the-beaver kind of family. The couple were able to find their way back to each other after this ugly incident and continued moving on with their marriage. However, by 2011, things broke down irretrievably between them. Vanilla Ice moved out of their wellington home into a mansion located in West Palm Beach City, while Giaritta remained in the house with the girls. Despite this split, the couple kept up appearances as a loving couple for the next five years.

Even though they rarely spoke to each other, they still made sure to attend public events together. They also embarked on a family vacation to Curacao in June 2015 with their two daughters in tow. After this supposed family vacation, Laura Giaritta realized that she didn’t want to live a lie anymore. She filed for divorce. She also granted a wide-ranging interview in which she made lots of revelations. The Florida native revealed that her daughters supported her decision to seek a divorce, describing her ex-husband as narcissistic. She also made it known that she would ask for a fair share of his assets as he wouldn’t have made a comeback without her. As she put it, her work with the girls planted the seed for his return to music.

Their Divorce Was Finalized in 2019 With Laura Giaritta Getting Lifetime Support

The divorce proceedings between Laura Giaritta and Vanilla Ice lasted for about three years due to disagreements over finance. It was then finalized in November 2019. Vanilla Ice was ordered to pay Giaritta a monthly alimony payment of $10,500 for life. He was also ordered to pay an additional sum of $110,000 to her for the divorce proceedings and cover her legal bills estimated at $200,000. The issue of child custody and support did not arise as their daughters are already grown.

Since that divorce settlement, Laura Giaritta has largely stayed out of the spotlight. She continues to live at her wellington home and maintains a low profile. It is hard to tell what she is up to these days or whether she has gotten married again. The last time she made the headlines was in March 2020, when she sued her famous ex-husband for shortchanging her alimony payments. She argued that two of her payments did not reach the exact amount of $10.500. Her ex-husband stated that the discrepancy was due to an auto-pay glitch and wondered why she sued him for what he dubbed a “couple hundred dollars.”

Laura Giaritta’s First Child, Dusti Rain Van Winkle, is a Realtor

Laura Giaritta’s had two children with Vanilla Ice, and the first is a daughter Dusti Rain Van Winkle. Dusti Rain was born in 1998 and spent her formative years in Florida. She has a degree in the entertainment business and is also a member of the NSCS, a league of high-performing scholars. Dusti Rain is now an associate realtor at a Florida-based firm known as Illustrated Properties. She maintains an active social life and documents the same on her Instagram page.

Her Second Child is KeeLee Breeze Van Winkle

Laura Giaritta’s second child is daughter KeeLee Breeze Van Winkle. KeeLee was born in March 2000 and is presently about 24 years. She is either done with college or still in college if she decides to head in that direction. Despite all that went down between her parents, KeeLee is close to her mom and dad. She is also very close to her elder sister and often shares pictures of their hangouts.