Anderson Cooper makes surprise announcement — he’s a dad

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CNN anchor Anderson Cooper is a dad.

In a surprise announcement Thursday, April 30, 2020, Cooper, who was hosting a global town hall on coronavirus announced that his son was born Monday, April 27, 2020.

“It has been a difficult time in all of our lives, and there are certainly many hard days ahead. It is, I think, especially important in these times of trouble to try to hold on to moments of joy and moments of happiness,” Cooper said at the end of the broadcast. “Even as we mourn the loss of loved ones, we are also blessed with new life and new love.”

He named his new son Wyatt Morgan Cooper, a name that has family ties.

Wyatt was Anderson Cooper’s father’s name. The elder Wyatt died when Anderson was 10.

Morgan, meanwhile, was his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt’s, mother’s maiden name. Anderson also noted that he recently found a list of names his parents were considering for him 52 years ago and Morgan was among them.

Vanderbilt died last year.

Anderson had not give any hints about his plans to become a father prior to the announcement.

Vanderbilt, and Anderson, are decedents of Cornelius Vanderbilt, who built a fortune off of railroads and would eventually make his family one of the wealthiest in America at the time.

The family saw a decline in wealth in the 1950s, with many of its mansions and other homes sold off, torn down or converted to museums.

The family’s name, however, lives on in the form of Vanderbilt University in Tennessee.

Gloria Vanderbilt also used money she inherited as well as her own ventures in modeling, acting and fashion lines, to build a sizable fortune.

View this post on Instagram

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 lives I 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.

A post shared by andersoncooper (@andersoncooper) on Apr 30, 2020 at 6:51pm PDT