As a young boy grappling with his identity, Anderson Cooper couldn’t fathom the possibility of having children.

Reflecting on those early years, he shared, “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,’” recounted the 54-year-old CNN anchor to People magazine.

Fast forward four decades, and Cooper is now a proud father of two sons. In April 2020, he welcomed his first son, Wyatt Morgan.

The choice of the name Wyatt pays homage to Cooper’s late father, Wyatt Emory Cooper, while the name Morgan has familial significance, being a contender for his own name on his late mother Gloria Vanderbilt’s side.

Admitting to a lack of preparation despite acquiring parenting books, Cooper humorously confessed on Ellen DeGeneres’ EllenTube, “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.” Despite uncertainties about his parenting skills, Cooper expressed love for “everything” about the experience, with ample support from his co-parent, ex-partner Benjamin Maisani.

Describing their unconventional but supportive dynamic, Cooper said, “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.”

The family recently expanded when Cooper announced on his show, Anderson Cooper 360, the arrival of his second child, Sebastian Luke Maisani-Cooper. Notably, Maisani was in the process of adopting Wyatt, cementing their commitment to co-parenting.

Introducing Sebastian, Cooper shared, “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.”

Planning to raise both sons with Maisani, whom he considers his best friend, Cooper expressed a calmer demeanor as a second-time parent. With two beautiful babies in his life, he looks forward to taking some time off work to savor the moments with his growing family.

Congratulations to Anderson Cooper on the expansion of his beautiful family!