Wolfgang Van Halen Reveals Touching Way He Honors His Dad Whenever He's on Stage: 'Why I Do What I Do' (Exclusive)

"I wish I could spend more time with my dad, but I can't, but I can spend time with my mom and it's the best," Wolfgang tells PEOPLE in this week's cover story

Though he's no longer physically with him, Wolfgang Van Halen never forgets to honor his dad onstage.

Speaking to PEOPLE for this week's cover story on mom Valerie Bertinelli, on newsstands Friday, the Mammoth WVH frontman shares why he honors his father's role in his life after every performance.

"The reason I do what I do is because of my dad. So if I didn't or at least think about him throughout the process, I'd be doing a disservice to my existence," Wolfgang, 33, tells PEOPLE of why he points to the sky at the end of every concert as a salute to his dad, the late Eddie Van Halen.

He continues, "So I think it's very important to establish that to thank my dad every night, every time I'm on stage. Just to thank my father and to know that he's always there with me every night."

Related: Wolfgang Van Halen Remembers Father Eddie on What Would've Been His 69th Birthday: 'I Love and Miss You'

Eddie died in October 2020 following a years-long battle with throat cancer. He was 65.

Reflecting on his close relationship with Bertinelli, 63, Wolfgang stresses the importance of making their time together count.

"A big thing is that she's the only parent I have, and so I think it's important to be close to your family and to make that time count because it doesn't last forever," he says. "It's very important to spend every chance you can get with your family. My parents raised me. I wish I could spend more time with my dad, but I can't, but I can spend time with my mom and it's the best. She's the best."

Growing up, Bertinelli was "very kind and proud and loving" to Wolfgang — and she always knew "how to make everything all better," he says.

"[She knew] how to foster a comfortable, happy environment no matter what was happening," he says. "She was always very good at that, at fostering a very warm, motherly environment."

And as Wolfgang goes off on the road with Mammoth WVH, Bertinelli never fails to pull the proud mom card in the crowd.

"It's very funny. She visits all the time. She's very proud. She just loves to be involved in my life," he says. "I think it's very nice to have a parent that cheers you on and is proud of you, proud of everything that you do and supports you in every way."

Related: How Valerie Bertinelli Freed Herself from Body Shame and Learned to 'Indulge' in Food, Life and Love (Exclusive)

Reflecting on the biggest lesson he's learned from his mom, Wolfgang says it's "how to be a kind, respectful human being."

"She leads with a very outwardly positive energy in her life, and I think that's infectious. The one thing she's always instilled in me is treat people how you want to be treated," he continues. "There's enough negativity in the world that it's nice to have some people out there fighting a good fight with positivity, and I think she's certainly one of them."

Wolfgang says, "She's just the kindest person you will ever know and she deserves the world and she deserves to be happy. I love her to the moon and back. She's the best."

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