Who Is Elizabeth Rooney? New Details On Rosie O'Donnell's Fiancé — And Their Break-Up
She is a police officer.
Instagram Update: Radar reports that after proposing to Rooney last year, the couple has broken up. Rooney has removed all references to O'Donnell from her Instagram as well as the diamond ring emoji from her bio.
Love is in the air for yet another couple! Rosie O'Donnell is engaged to her girlfriend of almost one year. The 56-year-old popped the question to her 33-year-old girlfriend over the summer. Kudos to this couple for keeping the news private. They did that reportedly because of Rooney's job. The two went public with their relationship in November 2017 after the suicide of O'Donnell's ex-wife Michelle Rounds. So, inquiring minds want to know: Who is Elizabeth Rooney?
1. How did they meet?
O'Donnell met Rooney at a theater benefit several years ago. They didn't connect romantically until they ran into each other at the same benefit a year later. There is a 22-year age difference between O'Donnell and Rooney. On The Howard Stern Show last November, O'Donnell said, “I am in love. It’s the first time I’ve dated someone younger than me and it’s a very trippy thing. … I get along with her so well. It’s kind of fascinating. The one thing that she doesn’t know? Streisand. I made her watch Funny Girl. She’s like, ‘It was good.’ I’m like 'Come on!'"
2. Who is she?
Elizabeth Rooney is an Army veteran and police officer based in Worcester, Massachusetts. She was a boxer in the Army. She is a mounted police officer. In fact, it was Rooney's job as a cop that led the couple to keep their engagement under wraps for several months.
3. Can she handle Rosie?
Rosie O'Donnell is famously outspoken and hot-headed. Can Rooney handle her? According to a source, O'Donnell has met most of Rooney's close-knit family and the engagement did not come as a shock because Elizabeth has a big personality.
4. It is her first marriage
This will be Rooney's first marriage. It will be O'Donnell's third. She was first married to Kelli Carpenter-O'Donnell for three years from 2004 to 2007. She was then married to Michelle Rounds from 2012 to 2015. Last year, Rounds was found dead of an overdose. It was ruled a suicide.
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5. She made Rosie change her mind
In November 2017, in the interview on The Howard Stern Show, Rosie revealed her relationship with Rooney but told Stern she would never get married again. Stern told her he felt the same way years ago before meeting Beth Ostrosky, which led Rosie to say, "I got married in between and you knew Michelle and that was a very troubled situation, and I think that for me being 55, I think I would just rather stay in it for love and not have to deal with lawyers if good forbid it didn't work out."
6. Rosie's kids
Rooney will become a step mother to Rosie's five children when the two get married. O'Donnell has four children with Kelli Carpenter-O'Donnell: 23-year-old Parker, 21-year-old Chelsea, 18-year-old Blake, and 15-year-old Vivienne. O'Donnell also had a child with Rounds, Dakota, who is 5-years-old.
Amy Lamare is a Los Angeles based freelance writer covering entertainment, pop culture, beauty, fashion, fitness, technology, and the intersection of technology, business, and philanthropy. She is deeply devoted to her chocolate Labrador and an avid long distance runner. You can find her on Instagram and Facebook.