Continue to Hollywoodlife () SKIP AD
Hollywood Life Logo Image

Hollywood Life

Today's Top Stories

  • Wendy Williams
    See Pic

    Wendy Williams, 56, Rocks Daisy Dukes For Solo Outing Amidst Hot New Romance

  • derek
    See Pic

    Derek Chauvin’s New Mugshot: See 1st Photo Of George Floyd’s Killer In His Prison Jumpsuit

  • hailey baldwin
    SHOP

    This Stylish Gold Layered Necklace With Over 6k Reviews Looks Just Like Hailey Baldwin’s

Hollywood Life
  • Home
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Celebrity Bios
  • Beauty
  • Fashion
  • Shopping
  • Celebrity News
  • World News
  • Exclusives
  • Politics
  • Celebrity Babies
  • Opinions
ALL NEWS
  • Prince Harry, Queen Elizabeth II

    Prince Harry Returns Home To Meghan Markle After Giving Queen Elizabeth II A ‘Special’ Birthday Gift

  • Derek Chauvin’s New Mugshot: See 1st Photo Of George Floyd’s Killer In His Prison Jumpsuit

  • Arnold Schwarzenegger Children: Who Are They?

  • Award Shows
  • At The Movies
  • TV
  • Music
  • Sports
  • Sex & Relationships
  • Holidays
  • Entertainment Features
  • Podcast
  • Oscar Contenders
ALL ENTERTAINMENT
  • Brad Pitt

    How To Stream The Oscars In 2021: What You Need To Know

  • Bethenny Frankel Gets Asked To Go ‘Topless’ In Trailer For ‘The Big Shot’ & Her Clapback Is Perfect

  • Kim Kardashian Struggles To Learn A TikTok Dance With Addison Rae: ‘It’s Intimidating’ — Watch

  • Taylor Swift
  • Rihanna
  • Selena Gomez
  • Kim Kardashian
  • Kylie Jenner
  • Kendall Jenner
  • Justin Bieber
  • Miley Cyrus
  • Gigi Hadid
  • Khloe Kardashian
  • Jennifer Lopez
  • Angelina Jolie
  • Harry Styles
  • Kourtney Kardashian
ALL CELEBRITY BIOS
  • Prince Harry, Queen Elizabeth II

    Prince Harry Returns Home To Meghan Markle After Giving Queen Elizabeth II A ‘Special’ Birthday Gift

  • How To Stream The Oscars In 2021: What You Need To Know

  • You Need The $60 Classic White Sneakers That Kendall Jenner Loves For Any Season

  • Fragrance
  • Hair Care
  • Health
  • Makeup
  • Nails
  • Beauty Features
  • Skincare
  • Makeover
  • Diet & Fitness
ALL BEAUTY
  • kettlebell

    Over 11,000 People Swear By This Kettlebell To Get Fit For Summer & It’s Under $100

  • Looking For A Hydrating Shampoo? Check Out Some Of These Gentle Yet Moisturizing Options

  • Halle Berry Shares Her Beauty Secrets To Help Boost Confidence & Take Care Of Your ‘Natural Skin’

  • Red Carpet
  • Weddings
  • Fashion Features
  • Shopping
ALL FASHION
  • kendall jenner

    You Need The $60 Classic White Sneakers That Kendall Jenner Loves For Any Season

  • The Viral TikTok Butt-Lifting Leggings With Over 55,000 Reviews Can Be All Yours For Just $30

  • Kim Kardashian’s 6 Sexiest Looks Since Her Split From Kanye West: Crop Tops, Mini Dresses & More

  • Share This Article
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Email
  • Print
  • Talk
Next Up

Rita Ora: I Want To ‘Shoot’ Rob Kardashian & ‘Shag’ Robert Pattinson

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Newsletters
  • Search Close

Trending

  • Bonnie Says
  • Celeb Babies
  • TV
  • Celeb Galleries
  • At Home With...
Search

NewsExpand Menu

  • Celebrity News
  • World News
  • Exclusives
  • Politics
  • Celebrity Babies
  • Opinions
  • Rock The Vote

EntertainmentExpand Menu

  • Entertainment Features
  • TV
  • Award Shows
  • At The Movies
  • Music
  • Sports
  • Sex & Relationships
  • Podcast
  • At Home With...

BeautyExpand Menu

  • Fragrance
  • Hair Care
  • Health
  • Makeup
  • Nails
  • Skincare
  • Beauty Features
  • Diet & Fitness
  • Shopping

FashionExpand Menu

  • Red Carpet
  • Weddings
  • Fashion Features
  • Shopping

TrendingExpand Menu

  • Bonnie Says
  • TV
  • Celeb Galleries
  • At Home With...

About UsExpand Menu

  • About Us
  • Writer Bios
  • Scoops, Tips & Corrections
  • Subscribe To Newsletter
  • Contact Us

Celebrity ProfilesExpand Menu

  • Kim Kardashian
  • Kylie Jenner
  • Justin Bieber
  • Selena Gomez
  • Taylor Swift
  • Rihanna
  • Kendall Jenner
  • Miley Cyrus
  • Gigi Hadid
  • Jennifer Lopez
  • Angelina Jolie
Follow Us
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube
  • Newsletters
Alerts & Newsletters
  • Jobs
  • Scoops & Corrections
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • California Privacy Rights
  • AdChoices
  • Data Policy
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
© 2021 Hollywoodlife.com, LLC.
  • Entertainment
  • Sex & Relationships
comment 38 Comments
January 31, 2013 7:09PM EST

Dan Marino’s Wife Claire Was Right Not To Divorce Him

Dan Marino Affair
SplashNews
Bonnie Fuller
President & Editor-in-Chief
  • Share This Article
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Email
  • Print
  • Talk

Claire Marino, wife of cheating NFL quarterback Dan Marino, must be mortified that the world now knows about her husband’s affair and love child. But she made the right decision to stick with their marriage. Here’s why.

It must have been devastating for Claire Marino to find out that her husband, NFL legend Dan Marino, had cheated on her and fathered a love child.

She had been married to the former Miami Dolphin quarterback for 20 years and the couple had six children together when her husband knocked up  his then 35 year-old mistress, Donna Savattere,.

She must have felt sick. She had devoted herself to her husband, they had a beautiful family, and he chose to betray her. Anger, hurt, humiliation, fear, and loss must have been just a few of the emotions she felt.

So Why Did Claire Marino Decide To Stay With Dan?

Some wives may have been so heartbroken and upset that they wouldn’t even consider staying with their cheating men, but that’s not the decision that Claire made.

Claire put her six children, who were aged from nine to 15 at the time of the affair, first. She clearly decided that they needed to be in an intact family and they needed their father.

” She put herself aside and said ‘What damage will I do to my children if I leave this man. Are we better off intact?,’ believes celebrity relationship expert Diana Falzone. ” She probably thought, ‘ we can go to counseling and figure out the underlying issues,” says Falzone.

“The only good reason for staying with a cheat is for the sake of the children, but only if he has proven you can truly trust him again,” insists Los Angeles psychiatrist and author of Bad Boys and Bad Girls, Dr. Carole Lieberman.

Now, only Claire, could know whether she could ever truly trust Dan Marino again, but ensuring that her children had an involved father in their daily lives is a powerful reason to stay with a husband who has cheated.

But Can a Cheater Be a Good Father Too?

Dan has been a good father according to the people who would know best — his children. In fact they have spoken out about how much they love him.

His son Michael, 24, is autistic and Dan established a charity called the Dan Marino Foundation, which holds an annual awareness day called Walkabout Autism.

Michael told CBS Miami in an interview that his dad “is just a very kind person, a very good father and he cares a lot about his kids. Because of that support and that push, I am able to be who I am today and be able to speak well, which I had a real problem with when I was younger, pointing at a lot of things.”

Then younger son Joseph, 23, a golfer like his dad, tweeted, “Spent my Christmas at the beach with my dad @DanMarino,” on Dec. 25, 2011.

Surely Claire knew that she would jeopardize those kinds of precious close relationships if she had opted for divorce from Dan.

Why Did Dan Marino Cheat?

So why would Dan have cheated when he too clearly valued his marriage and family?

“Powerful men cheat because they have a greater sense of entitlement than the rest of us. They feel they have worked hard and earned where they are and should be afforded rules that are uniquely theirs,” explains relationship expert Cooper Lawrence, co-host of Dish Nation on Fox.

Dan probably understood that cheating was not right on one level, but why didn’t that stop him?

Dan Marino “knew it was wrong and knew it isn’t what most men should do, but he no longer saw himself as ‘most men,'” adds Lawrence.

Let’s hope that in the years since Dan Marino had his affair with Donna Savattere and fathered a child with her, that he realized that he had to come back down to earth and behave like most men.

Claire Marino Put Her Family First

I hope so for Claire and her children’s sake, and also for the sake of Dan’s love child, who apparently Dan sees.

She probably stayed with her husband for another very key reason, according to psychologist Dr. Jeff Gardere, creator of “The Healthy Divorce App.”

“Wives of cheaters love them with all their faults, especially with so many years logged into their marriage,” he says.

And yes, that is no doubt true. She loved her husband for 20 years before his affair and it’s very hard to stop loving someone, even when they have hurt and disappointed you.

But Claire made the right decision even though it must have been so difficult. I’m sure her children feel grateful every day that they still have their family together, despite their father’s major mistake. Do you agree, HollywoodLifers? Was Claire right to stand by her cheating man? Let me know! Watch my video below debating whether  Claire was right to stay with husband, Dan Marino?

WATCH: Dan Marino Fathered Love Child With CBS Employee In 2005


Subscribe to me on YouTube

— Bonnie Fuller

Follow Bonnie!

More Dan Marino News:

  1. Dan Marino’s Mistress: My Husband Is A Good Dad To Love Child
  2. Dan Marino Should Be Banned From The Super Bowl
  3. Donna Savattere: 5 Things To Know About Dan Marino’s Mistress
Click to Subscribe to Our HollywoodLife Daily Newsletter to get more celeb news.
  • Share This Article
  • Reddit
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Email
  • Print
  • Talk
Dan Marino

Most Read

Wendy Williams, 56, Rocks Daisy Dukes For Solo Outing Amidst Hot New Romance

Wendy Williams

Suri Cruise Sports Long Hair While Posing With Flowers & Goofing Off With Friends On 15th Birthday

Rihanna Wears Completely Sheer Shirt With Silk Robe For Night Out — See The Fierce Look

Rihanna

Hailey Baldwin Rocks High-Waisted Daisy Dukes With A Blazer That’s Longer Than Her Short Shorts

Hailey Baldwin

Mayim Bialik Reveals Possibility Of A ‘Big Bang’ Reboot & How Her Ph.D. Shapes Her Acting Career

Mayim Bialik

Have news, pics or video on a breaking news story?

Send us your Tip

Have news, pics or video on a breaking news story?

Send us your Tip

More From Our Brands

  • School Librarian Chops Off Biracial 7-Year-Old's Hair & We Would Like a Word With Her
    SheKnows

    School Librarian Chops Off Biracial 7-Year-Old's Hair & We Would Like a Word With Her

  • Here’s the Gift Prince Harry Gave the Queen Before Leaving the UK Ahead of Her Birthday
    StyleCaster

    Here’s the Gift Prince Harry Gave the Queen Before Leaving the UK Ahead of Her Birthday

  • Look Out for a South By South West + BlogHer Collab Soon!
    Blogher

    Look Out for a South By South West + BlogHer Collab Soon!

  • Days of Our Lives Spoilers April 19 – 30
    Soaps

    Days of Our Lives Spoilers April 19 – 30

    HollywoodLife

    • About Us
    • Advertise With Us
    • Scoops & Corrections
    • Contact Us

    Legal

    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Rights
    • AdChoices
    • Terms of Use
    • Data Policy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information

    News

    • Celebrity News
    • World News
    • Exclusives
    • Celebrity Babies

    Connect

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
© Copyright 2021 Hollywoodlife.com, LLC.
Powered by WordPress.com VIP
ad