David Sanov is a retired California Highway Patrol officer and the husband of actress Alison Sweeney. The two married on July 8, 2000. They have two children, Ben and Megan. Sanov spent 27 years with the highway patrol before retiring in 2022. He has kept a low profile while his wife has worked in television and film.
Their story began long before Sweeney became a star on Days of Our Lives. They met as children through their parents, who both played the violin. Years later, they found each other again and began to date. Their long marriage, his work in public service, and a move to Arizona have drawn fresh interest.
In this article, you will learn how the couple met, what Sanov did for work, and how they built a home away from Hollywood. You will also find facts about their children and their life in 2026. Let’s start with a few key details.
David Sanov Quick Facts
- Known for: Retired California Highway Patrol officer and Alison Sweeney’s husband
- Spouse: Actress and producer Alison Sweeney
- Wedding date: July 8, 2000
- Career: California Highway Patrol, 27 years
- Retirement: 2022
- Children: Benjamin and Megan
- Family home: Arizona, after a move from Los Angeles
Who Is David Sanov?
David Sanov worked as a highway patrol officer in California for much of his adult life. He is also known as the husband of Alison Sweeney, who rose to fame as Sami Brady on Days of Our Lives. She later made many films for Hallmark and worked as a producer and writer.
Their jobs could hardly look more different. Her work meant sets, scripts, and cameras. His work took him into public service. Sweeney has said that this contrast helped her keep a sense of balance once she came home from a day on set.
David Sanov has not tried to build a second career from his wife’s fame. He may join her for family events or public photos, but he does not give many interviews. Most of the facts shared about him come from Sweeney’s own comments over the years.
How They Met Before Hollywood Fame
David Sanov and Sweeney did not meet at a film set or a red carpet event. Their families knew each other when they were young. His father and her mother played violin for film soundtracks. That shared work brought the two families together and gave the children a chance to meet.
Sweeney has said she had a crush on Sanov when they were kids. Time then took them down their own paths. She started to work on Days of Our Lives. He went to college, and the two did not see each other for about four years.
David Sanov and Sweeney met again at a party. Sweeney later invited him to her 21st birthday event. That new chance to talk helped them get to know each other as adults. Their old bond grew into a romance that did not depend on the TV world around her.
A Wedding With a Family Link
David Sanov and Alison Sweeney married on July 8, 2000, after dating for about three years. Their wedding drew on the same love of music that had first joined their families. Sweeney has recalled that their parents played violin at the ceremony.
That part of David Sanov’s wedding says a lot about their shared past. The couple did not need a chance meeting in Hollywood to find each other. Their ties went back to their childhood homes and the music played by their parents.
They marked 25 years of marriage in July 2025. By October 2026, they had been married for more than 26 years. Sweeney has spoken often about what makes that bond last. Her answer tends to focus on care and daily habits, not grand gifts.
What Did He Do for Work?
David Sanov served with the California Highway Patrol for 27 years and retired in 2022. The agency is best known for road safety and law work on California highways. His career was not a role made for TV. It was a real job in public service.
In a past interview with Fox News, Sweeney said she was proud of her husband’s work. She felt that police officers, teachers, and first responders helped people in a direct way. She saw her own career as a source of joy for fans, but she did not treat fame as more important than public service.
David Sanov’s career gave her a life away from the screen. At home, she said, she could be a wife and mother rather than an actress. It also shows why Sanov’s career is part of his story in its own right, not just a footnote about a star’s spouse.
Family Life With Ben and Megan
David Sanov and Alison Sweeney have two children. Their son, Benjamin, was born in February 2005. Their daughter, Megan, arrived in January 2009. Both have grown up with a mother whose work can take her to a set for long hours and a father whose own job had a very different pace.
Sweeney has shared how much she values family time. Over the years, she has brought her children to work so they could see what goes on behind a camera. That gave them a view of both the fun parts and the hard work that goes into a show.
Their children have also begun to make their own plans. Ben went to college, while Megan has shown interest in acting. In 2026, Megan worked with her mother on the Hallmark film Romance at Hope Ranch. It gave them a rare chance to share a set as mother and daughter.
Why the Family Left Los Angeles
David Sanov and his family moved from Los Angeles to Arizona years ago. In a May 2026 interview, Sweeney said the choice helped her feel less stress. The pace of Los Angeles had become hard for her. She wanted a calmer place for her children to grow up.
The move did not mean she quit acting. She kept making Hallmark films and other projects. She could also do some work from home and travel when a shoot called for it. That gave the family more room for school events and the routines of daily life.
Sweeney told Fox News Digital that life in Arizona felt more relaxed. She spoke about time with the kids, travel, and new hobbies. Her account makes clear that the move was a choice for the whole family, not a sudden break from her career.
What Alison Sweeney Says Makes Marriage Work
Sweeney has offered a simple view of her marriage to David Sanov. Talk often. Notice small acts of care. Make time for each other even when work and family tasks fill the day. Her advice comes from more than two decades of life with Sanov.
In a 2025 interview, she gave small examples from their home. He might charge her phone when she cannot find it. She might make him a cup of coffee. The acts are not grand, but each is a way to show that the other person matters.
She has also said that both parents put their children first. That does not mean their days have always been easy. It means the couple have placed value on shared duties, kind acts, and time together as the years passed.
His Place in a Busy Entertainment Family
Sweeney has spent decades on screen. Fans know her from soap drama, TV films, and mystery stories. Her work has changed over time as she took on more roles behind the camera. Sanov’s job was far from that world, yet it was part of the life they built together.
In 2014, she spoke about wanting to take her kids to school and be home more. She also said her husband helped her see her own work in a wider frame. A hard day on set still mattered, but home offered a place to leave the noise of fame behind.
David Sanov’s role in the family does not need to be measured in film credits. He has a long career in a field of his own. He has also shared the work of raising two children while his wife pursued a public career.
Where Is David Sanov in 2026?
As of October 2026, Sanov is retired from the California Highway Patrol. He and Sweeney have built a family life in Arizona. The actress still works on screen and has spoken with warmth about their slower pace away from Los Angeles.
His wife marked a career milestone in 2026 with new Hallmark work. Their daughter also took part in one of her films. The family news shows that the move did not end their links to the TV and film world. It gave them a different home base.
Sanov remains a private person. There is no sound reason to assign him a personal fortune, invent a business, or guess at plans he has not shared. His years of service, marriage, and family life tell a clear story without those claims.
A Timeline of the Main Milestones
- Childhood: The two families meet through parents who play violin for film soundtracks
- Late 1990s: Sweeney and Sanov date after meeting again as adults
- July 8, 2000: The couple marry
- 2005: Their son Benjamin is born
- 2009: Their daughter Megan is born
- 2022: Sanov retires after 27 years with the California Highway Patrol
- July 2025: The couple mark 25 years of marriage
- 2026: Sweeney speaks about their life in Arizona and work with Megan
This timeline puts their story in order. Their first link was family and music. Their next chapter brought a wedding and children. Later came a move that gave the household more space from the fast pace of Los Angeles.
For a full account of their early romance and Sanov’s career, TV Insider shares dates and details drawn from Sweeney’s own talks. The more recent move to Arizona is best seen through her 2026 comments.
Final Thoughts
David Sanov has led a life that looks quite different from the one fans see in Alison Sweeney’s shows. He spent many years on the road as a highway patrol officer. He and his wife then raised their children while her career kept growing.
Their story has lasted because of choices made over time. They stayed close to family, made room for each other’s work, and later chose a place that felt right for their home. Sweeney’s own words point to small acts of care as part of that bond.
For readers who came here to learn who Sweeney married, there is more to the answer than a name. He is a retired officer, a husband she has known since she was young, and a father whose life has stayed mostly out of the glare of fame.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Alison Sweeney and David Sanov know each other in school?
They knew each other as children through their parents. Sweeney has said the families were linked by work in film music, not by a meeting on a movie set.
Did David Sanov act on Days of Our Lives?
His known career was in the California Highway Patrol. His wife’s role as Sami Brady made the couple well known to soap fans, but police service was his main profession.
Did Alison Sweeney stop acting when the family moved to Arizona?
No. She has kept working in film and television. The family moved for a more relaxed home life, while she continued to travel for projects.
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