Marta Fitzgerald remains best known as the third wife of the late radio icon Rush Limbaugh. Their high-profile marriage in the 1990s and early 2000s placed her briefly in the national spotlight. Today she maintains a deliberately private life far from media attention.
This profile covers the verified facts of her background, career, marriage, and life after the divorce.
Quick Bio
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Marta Maranda Fitzgerald (née Maranda) |
| Date of Birth | December 10, 1960 |
| Age (as of 2026) | 65 |
| Place of Birth | Titusville, Florida |
| Nationality | American |
| Known For | Former aerobics instructor; ex-wife of Rush Limbaugh |
| Previous Marriage | Tom Fitzgerald (divorced 1992) |
| Marriage to Limbaugh | 1994–2004 |
| Children | Two (from first marriage) |
| Current Status | Private life in Florida |
Early Life and Background
Marta Maranda was born on December 10, 1960, in Titusville, Florida. She grew up in the Sunshine State. Public records list her mother as Esther Peluso. Details about her father and broader family remain limited.
She later lived in the Jacksonville area. There she built a career in fitness. Sources describe her as having blonde hair and blue eyes, with a slim build typical of her work as an aerobics instructor.
In the early 1990s she briefly worked as an intern at the Florida Times-Union newspaper in Jacksonville. This experience showed an early interest in media and writing.
She married Tom Fitzgerald. The couple had a son and a daughter. They divorced in 1992 after roughly six years of marriage. Little public information exists about her children, consistent with her preference for privacy.
Career and Achievements
Before her marriage to Limbaugh, Fitzgerald worked as an aerobics instructor. She taught fitness classes in Florida and built a local reputation in that field.
During her marriage she expanded into publishing. In 1997 she launched Vent, a West Palm Beach-based magazine aimed at readers aged 18 to 24. She served as editor-in-chief and publisher. Hearst Distribution Group handled distribution for the title.
The magazine produced only three issues before folding in 1998. Afterward she returned to fitness instruction for a period.
In the years following her divorce, she wrote a personal book titled What It Looks Like. The memoir details her experience seeking treatment for personal challenges around the time of Limbaugh’s own rehabilitation stay in 2003. She has otherwise stayed out of the public professional sphere.
Relationship
Fitzgerald first contacted Rush Limbaugh in the early 1990s through the online service CompuServe. Their connection began via email and developed into a relationship.
They married on May 27, 1994. The ceremony took place at the Virginia home of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, who officiated. It was the third marriage for both. At the time she was 33 and he was 43.
The couple lived primarily in Florida, including time in the Palm Beach area. They had no children together.
In June 2004 Limbaugh announced on his radio program that they had mutually decided to end the marriage after ten years. The separation became public on June 11, 2004. The divorce was finalized in December 2004 in a Key West court. Court records restored her maiden name of Maranda. The settlement details were sealed.
The marriage coincided with a period of intense public scrutiny for Limbaugh, including his well-documented struggles with prescription pain medication. Fitzgerald later described her own parallel path of personal reflection and treatment during that time.
Personal Life Today
Since the 2004 divorce, Fitzgerald has maintained a low public profile. She reportedly lives in Florida. Multiple sources indicate she has worked in real estate in recent years, though she has given no major interviews confirming current professional details.
She has not remarried, according to available public records. Her two children from her first marriage remain private. She has avoided social media and public appearances connected to her former high-profile marriage.
In 2014 she discussed aspects of her personal growth and recovery in connection with her book. Beyond that, she has chosen silence over publicity.
Net Worth and Lifestyle
No official net-worth figure has been published for Fitzgerald. Estimates circulating on secondary sites place it around several million dollars, largely attributed to her years with Limbaugh and subsequent settlement. These numbers remain unverified.
Limbaugh’s own estate was substantial at the time of his death in 2021. The couple’s divorce agreement stayed confidential, so any financial arrangements stay private.
Her lifestyle appears modest and private by celebrity standards. She has not been linked to high-profile real estate purchases or public displays of wealth in recent decades. Reports simply place her in Florida living away from the media glare that once surrounded her marriage.
Conclusion
Marta Fitzgerald’s public story centers on a decade-long marriage to one of America’s most influential radio voices. She entered that marriage as a Florida aerobics instructor and left it determined to reclaim a quieter existence.
Her brief foray into magazine publishing and her later personal writing show additional layers beyond the “Limbaugh’s wife” label. Today she continues to protect her privacy, a choice that has kept most details of her current life out of the headlines.
FAQs
Who is Marta Fitzgerald?
She is an American former aerobics instructor and publisher best known as the third wife of radio host Rush Limbaugh. They were married from 1994 to 2004.
When and where was Marta Fitzgerald born?
She was born December 10, 1960, in Titusville, Florida.
How did Marta Fitzgerald meet Rush Limbaugh?
She contacted him through the early online service CompuServe in the early 1990s. Their relationship began via email.
Did Marta Fitzgerald and Rush Limbaugh have children?
No. They had no children together. She has two children from her earlier marriage to Tom Fitzgerald.
What happened to their marriage?
They separated in June 2004 after ten years. The divorce was finalized later that year. It was described as mutual and amicable at the time of the announcement.
Where is Marta Fitzgerald now
? She lives a private life in Florida and has stayed largely out of the public eye since the divorce.
