Anderson Cooper once thought: ‘I will never be able to have a kid,” now he’s the proud father of two sons

“At the age of 12, grappling with the realization of my sexuality, thoughts about my future always saddened me. I used to think, ‘I will never be able to have a kid,'” shared the 54-year-old CNN anchor with People.

Fast forward 40 years, and he stands as a proud father of two wonderful sons.

In April 2020, Cooper joyously welcomed his first son, Wyatt Morgan.

Explaining the choice of the name, Cooper revealed that his son was named after his late father, Wyatt Emory Cooper, and the name Morgan was a family name, originating from the shortlist to be his name on his late mother Gloria Vanderbilt’s side.

On Ellen DeGeneres’ EllenTube, Cooper admitted to accumulating numerous parenting books before Wyatt’s birth, yet never delving into 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 humorously confessed. “Just buying the books themselves, and having them around doesn’t work. You actually have to read them.”

Despite uncertainties about his parenting skills, Cooper expressed love for “everything” about it, emphasizing the significant support he received, particularly from his ex, Benjamin Maisani, with whom he shares co-parenting responsibilities.

“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 saw an expansion.

Cooper joyfully announced on his show, Anderson Cooper 360, the arrival of another child, Sebastian Luke Maisani-Cooper, into his home. He also shared 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 intends to raise both of his sons with Maisani, whom he refers to as his best friend.

While being a first-time parent initially presented its challenges, Cooper acknowledged feeling “definitely calmer” the second time around.

With two beautiful babies now in his life, Cooper plans to take some time off work to savor the moments with his sons before they embark on their own journeys.

Congratulations, Anderson! Your family is truly beautiful.