Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio’s relationship remains one of Hollywood’s most iconic love stories—marked by glamour, heartache, and enduring devotion. Though their marriage was short-lived, DiMaggio’s feelings for Monroe never faded. For over 20 years after her untimely death, he sent red roses to her grave, a gesture that raised many questions about the true depth of his love—and the weight of his guilt.
Their romance began in 1952 on a blind date, shortly after DiMaggio retired from baseball. Monroe was initially hesitant, wary of dating someone she assumed would be a stereotypical, self-absorbed athlete. Though her instincts proved partly right, they were drawn together in a whirlwind of affection and fame.
Their wedding in San Francisco in January 1954 attracted massive public attention. Despite the spectacle, it was a quiet civil ceremony at City Hall. Monroe, radiant as always, played to the cameras, while DiMaggio kept to himself, quietly urging photographers to hurry so they could begin the ceremony.
After the wedding, they were mobbed by fans and media alike. The couple’s honeymoon took them from the quiet town of Idyllwild, California, to bustling Japan, where DiMaggio helped train local baseball players. Monroe then flew to Korea to entertain U.S. troops, receiving thunderous applause—a moment that made DiMaggio realize how her star had eclipsed even his own.
Back in Beverly Hills, the two attempted to settle into married life. But tensions rose quickly. DiMaggio, uncomfortable with Monroe’s fame and driven by traditional values, grew increasingly controlling. Monroe, meanwhile, yearned to keep pursuing her career. Though both had hoped for children, Monroe’s health issues, including endometriosis, made that dream difficult.
Their differences came to a head during the filming of The Seven Year Itch, particularly the infamous scene where Monroe’s dress billows over a subway grate. DiMaggio watched from the sidelines, reportedly seething as a crowd of thousands gawked. Their argument that night turned explosive—and, according to Monroe, physical.
Weeks later, Monroe publicly announced their separation. In court, she cited “mental cruelty” and gave a tearful account of DiMaggio’s coldness, jealousy, and refusal to support her career or friendships.
Despite the divorce, DiMaggio continued to reach out, sending heartfelt letters apologizing and professing his love. Monroe later revealed that he had grown distant and didn’t engage with her as a partner or artist. “He didn’t want me to have friends… He watched TV instead of talking to me,” she recalled.
After their breakup, Monroe struggled with mental health issues and substance dependency. Still, DiMaggio never fully left her side. He supported her quietly through hospitalizations and even her gallbladder surgery in 1961. Some believed they were planning to remarry in the final months of her life.
Monroe’s death in August 1962 stunned the world. She was found alone in her Los Angeles home at just 36. DiMaggio took charge of her funeral, making it an intimate affair with only 33 guests. He banned many high-profile figures—including Frank Sinatra and the Kennedy family—believing that Hollywood and fame had played a part in her downfall.
“Tell them,” he said firmly, “if it wasn’t for them, she’d still be here.”
He broke down during the service, kissed her one last time, and whispered goodbye.
From that day forward, he never remarried. He spoke of Monroe rarely, and when he did, it was with a heavy heart. A florist revealed that DiMaggio had instructed: “Three times a week… forever.” For two decades, fresh red roses arrived at Monroe’s crypt without fail.
Those who knew him best, like actor Brad Dexter, believed the flowers were both an expression of eternal love and of unresolved guilt. “He destroyed it—and he felt that guilt,” Dexter once said of DiMaggio’s role in the collapse of their marriage.
When DiMaggio passed away in 1999 from lung cancer at age 84, his lawyer Morris Engelberg revealed his final words: “I’ll finally get to see Marilyn.”
Even in death, DiMaggio’s heart remained tied to the woman he couldn’t forget—proof that some love stories, however tragic, truly never end.
