As the radiant face of "Wheel of Fortune" for over three decades, Vanna White has captured hearts with her grace and charm. Now, a recent photo of her rarely-seen daughter has netizens seeing double.
Vanna White's daughter, Giovanna "Gigi" Santo Pietro, recently turned 27, and her appearance in a heartfelt birthday tribute from her mother left many netizens in awe.
One netizen remarked, "Oh wow. She's a young Vanna," while another commented on Gigi's resemblance to her father, George Santo Pietro, "Definitely favors Vanna but got her Dad's Italian complexion! A beautiful combination! Happy Birthday, Giovanna!"
Vanna's Instagram post featured a side-by-side photo of Gigi as a baby and as an adult. The left picture showed Gigi as a baby, wearing a white shirt and blue dress. The right picture featured Gigi today, sporting sunglasses, a sleeveless top, and a stunning arm tattoo.
This rare glimpse of Gigi prompted more reactions online. "Looks a lot like you Vanna only darker features! Happy Birthday!" chimed in another fan. A fourth simply stated, "She has your beauty," suggesting that Gigi's looks are inherited from her mother.
Vanna's Instagram post included a sweet birthday message to her daughter: Happy 27th to my amazing daughter @gigisantopietro! You are so beautiful, smart, kind and a talented artist! I love you Gigi! ❤️"
She added hashtags like "#happybirthday," "#love," "#tattooartist," and "#lincolntattoocompany." These hashtags highlight that Vanna celebrated both Gigi's special day and her artistic talent.
In a 2023 interview with People, Vanna expressed her admiration for Gigi's career as a tattoo artist. She admitted that she "never dreamed" her youngest, a New York University graduate with an art degree, would pursue tattooing.
Vanna recalled a heartfelt conversation with Gigi about her chosen passion. She fondly remembered asking, “Gigi, why tattooing?” Gigi's responded to her profoundly: "Mom, my art is on someone's body for the rest of their lives."
The former "Wheel of Fortune" co-host said to her daughter, "I was like, 'That's pretty cool.' You have to be so good and confident. You can't mess up. So she absolutely loves it. She's been doing that for the past three years and is doing a great job. I'm so, so proud of her."
The proud mother even revealed her openness to getting a tattoo from Gigi. "You know what, I want to have matching hearts where she'll do a little heart on me and she'll do one on herself. I feel like I need to do that because it's her and it would be her on me," she said. Besides Gigi, Vanna has grown close to her rarely-seen son.
Vanna surprised the online world with photos of her son, Nikko Santo Pietro, during his 30th birthday on June 10. She marked his special day with an endearing tribute posted on Instagram and many gushed over his appearance, noting how much he resembled his mom.
Vanna's post featured two photos of her and Nikko, one placed above the other. The first image displayed a throwback moment of the mother and son when Nikko was just a baby. In the photo, Nikko looked up at his mom with curious eyes as Vanna gently stroked his tiny face with her index finger.
The photo below the baby picture showed Vanna and Nikko standing side by side, posing for the camera. In this image, Nikko had grown up, towering over the TV personality and emulating her charming smile.
"30 years ago today, my baby boy was born. Happy birthday @nikkoshow! I am so proud of the amazing young man you have become! I love you with all my heart!" she captioned the post.
Flooding the comment section of the post with nothing but love and well wishes, Vanna's fans were quick to praise Nikko. They also marveled at the striking resemblance he shares with his doting mom.
"Happy special 30th birthday to your very awesome and very handsome son ❤️🎂🥰☀️," swooned an admirer. Another, who was surprised by how much Nikko has grown, expressed, "Wow he's 30?! Both of you look amazing. Miss you Vanna❤️.”
Someone else complimented, "He has mom's good looks." Echoing the sentiment, another admirer gushed, "He is as handsome as you are beautiful! Great smile!!!"
Just as Gigi has her own professional pursuits, Nikko has forged his own path as well. According to his LinkedIn profile, the 30-year-old is now a real estate agent, an investor, and a Spark's LA ambassador.
"With his passion for homes, he brings a wealth of architectural and design expertise. Nikko's approach to business is one based on transparency and honesty and he aims to provide valuable market insights," reads a portion of his lengthy LinkedIn biography.
His illustrious profile boasts numerous accomplishments, including his esteemed position at The Agency RE, where he has been working for nine months. Apart from that and other impressive career feats, Nikko's bio also provided details about him as a person: what his interests and hobbies are.
Nikko enjoys cooking, a passion he picked up from his father, George, who owned the Los Angeles restaurants Santo Pietro's and Sushi Ko. Nikko, now a real estate agent, also grew up tending to a vineyard and garden.
As for what he likes to do in his free time, Nikko's bio divulged, "Nikko is a social enthusiast who frequently hosts poetry nights, fostering connections and bringing people together." Additionally, the description included: "He also enjoys playing the piano, reading, and prioritizing restful sleep."
When Nikko is not keeping himself busy with his hobbies and career, he enjoys lavishing in the camaraderie of friends, sometimes with a nice cocktail in hand as well.
Nikko and Gigi are Vanna's children with George Santo Pietro. The pair wed on December 31, 1990, in Aspen, Colorado. However, after eleven years together, Vanna filed for divorce from George in 2002, citing irreconcilable differences. Despite their separation, it appears the former couple stays in touch through their kids.
As her children grew, Vanna continued to celebrate their milestones with deep love and pride. From Gigi's artistic journey to Nikko's burgeoning career in real estate, Vanna's social media tributes highlight not only their achievements but also the enduring bond she shares with each of them.
