As a child himself, Anderson Cooper never thought he’d be able to have children.
“When I was 12 years old and knew I was gay and thought about my life, it always upset me because I thought, ‘I will never be able to have a kid,’” the 54-year-old CNN anchor told People.
Forty years later, he’s a proud father of two beautiful sons.
In April 2020, Cooper welcomed his first son, Wyatt Morgan.
After his birth, Cooper explained his son was named after his late father, Wyatt Emory Cooper, and the name Morgan was a family name, which was on the shortlist to be his name, on his late mother Gloria Vanderbilt‘s side.
Cooper confessed on Ellen DeGeneres’ EllenTube that prior to Wyatt’s birth, he acquired numerous parenting books but never read them.
“I got all these books about being a parent, and I didn’t read any of them. It turns out you actually have to read the books,” he said. “Just buying the books themselves, and having them around doesn’t work. You actually have to read them.”
Despite being unsure about his parenting skills, Cooper said he loved “everything” about it. Plus, he had lots of support, especially from his ex, Benjamin Maisani, who co-parents with him.
I want to share with you some joyful news. On Monday, I became a father. This is Wyatt Cooper. He is three days old. He is named after my father, who died when I was ten. I hope I can be as good a dad as he was. My son’s middle name is Morgan. It’s a family name on my mom’s side. I know my mom and dad liked the name morgan because I recently found a list they made 52 years ago when they were trying to think of names for me. Wyatt Morgan Cooper. My son. He was 7.2 lbs at birth, and he is sweet, and soft, and healthy and I am beyond happy.
As a gay kid, I never thought it would be possible to have a child, and I’m grateful for all those who have paved the way, and for the doctors and nurses and everyone involved in my son’s birth.
Most of all, I am grateful to a remarkable surrogate who carried Wyatt, and watched over him lovingly, and tenderly, and gave birth to him. It is an extraordinary blessing – what she, and all surrogates give to families who cant have children. My surrogate has a beautiful family of her own, a wonderfully supportive husband, and kids, and I am incredibly thankful for all the support they have given Wyatt and me. My family is blessed to have this family in our livesI do wish my mom and dad and my brother, Carter, were alive to meet Wyatt, but I like to believe they can see him. I imagine them all together, arms around each other, smiling and laughing, happy to know that their love is alive in me and in Wyatt, and that our family continues.
“It’s probably an unusual setup, but I knew he would be a great dad, and he is. We’re exes, but we’re family to each other, and we love each other as family and as co-parents.”
Recently, the “unusual” family expanded.
Cooper announced on his show, Anderson Cooper 360, that he recently welcomed another child, Sebastian Luke Maisani-Cooper, into his home. He also revealed that Maisani was in the process of adopting Wyatt, now 22 months old.
“This is Sebastian Luke Maisani-Cooper. He was 6.8 pounds at birth and he was healthy and happy and even his occasional hiccups, are to me, adorable. He mostly just sleeps and eats and certainly poops, but he already seems like a wise and thoughtful little chap.”
The CNN anchor plans to raise both of his sons with Maisani, whom he calls his best friend.
While being a first-time parent may have been a bit much to handle at first, Cooper said he’s “definitely calmer” the second time around.
Now that Cooper has two beautiful babies, he plans to take some time off of work and enjoy the time with his sons before they grow up.
