Henry Winkler has spent decades collecting Hollywood memories, but one of his most meaningful keepsakes is something that sounds like it belongs in the back of a refrigerator rather than a celebrity home.
It’s a water bottle.
Not a signed script. Not a glamorous award. Not even a piece of the famous Happy Days wardrobe. Winkler has held onto a slightly squished water bottle from the set of 8 Simple Rules, and behind its very ordinary appearance is a deeply personal memory of his friend John Ritter.
Winkler was scheduled to guest star on Ritter’s sitcom during the second season in September 2003. The appearance would have been a fun little television reunion, bringing together two stars who had already become synonymous with some of ABC’s biggest sitcoms — Winkler from Happy Days and Ritter from Three’s Company.
But the planned sitcom fun took a heartbreaking turn.
On Sept. 11, 2003, Ritter became seriously ill while preparing to film an episode of 8 Simple Rules. He later died that day from an aortic dissection.
Winkler recently opened up about the memory while giving Graham Bensinger a tour of his home and showing some of the objects he has treasured throughout his remarkable career. Among them was that unusual water bottle from the 8 Simple Rules set.
And yes, he still has it.
Winkler explained that he took the bottle from the set and never opened it. Somehow, it has remained in that state ever since — slightly scrunched, still carrying the show’s recognizable logo, and quietly holding a memory that became much more significant than anyone could have imagined.
Basically, it went from “random TV-set water bottle” to “one of the most emotionally important things on the shelf.”
Winkler also recalled seeing Ritter that afternoon. The two friends were chatting and reminiscing when Ritter mentioned that he needed some water. Winkler, meanwhile, was focused on memorizing his lines.
They eventually went their separate ways, with neither knowing it would be their final conversation.
Later that night, Winkler received the devastating call that Ritter had died.
“I went, ‘What do you mean you lost John?’” Winkler recalled, describing the shock of hearing the news.
For Winkler, the water bottle isn’t really about the bottle at all. It’s about the person who was there that day — a friend remembered as a professional, a generous performer, and someone who could keep an entire room laughing.
Ritter was also reportedly thrilled about the success of 8 Simple Rules and deeply fond of his castmates. His sudden death left the sitcom, his colleagues, and fans mourning a beloved actor whose comedic timing had made him a television favorite.
More than two decades later, Winkler’s unusual keepsake serves as a reminder that sometimes the smallest objects can carry the biggest memories.
And while most people would probably recycle an old water bottle, Winkler’s has earned a permanent place in Hollywood history — unopened, slightly crumpled, and carrying a story far more valuable than anything printed on its label.
