WATCH: Anderson Cooper Introduces His Newborn Son Wyatt Live on CNN

While it’s been a devastating few months for watching the news over the past few months due to coronavirus, Anderson Cooper shared an incredibly happy announcement with his CNN viewers on Thursday night. The news anchor proudly introduced his son, Wyatt Morgan Cooper, who was born on Monday.

Cooper said on live TV, “As we mourn the loss of loved, we’re also blessed with new life and new love. So, I wanted to take a moment and share with you some joyful news of my own. On Monday, I became a father. I’ve never said that before out loud and it still kinda f astonishes me.

“He’s named after my father,” Cooper said of his baby’s name, “who died when I was 10 years old.” Cooper’s father was named Wyatt Emory Cooper. He died at age 50 from a heart ailment on January 5, 1979. Cooper’s mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, is also deceased. She died at age 95 on June 17, 2019, after suffering from stomach cancer.

The 52-year-old first-time father wished his family was around to meet Wyatt. He wrote on Instagram, “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.”

Cooper’s older brother, Carter Vanderbilt Cooper, died by suicide on July 22, 1988. According to The New York Times, Carter was only 23 years old when he jumped from their mother’s 14th-floor apartment in Manhattan and to his death.

While Cooper’s life is marked with tragedy, he’s excited to continue on his family’s legacy.

He wrote, “I hope I can be as good as 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.”

Cooper Thanked His ‘Remarkable Surrogate’ For This ‘Extraordinary Blessing’

Cooper shared on Instagram, “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 can’t 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.”

Cooper’s Best Friend Andy Cohen, Who Also Recently Became A First-Time Dad, Is Excited for Future Playdates

Cooper’s best friend, Br

avo’s Andy Cohen, who welcomed his son Benjamin this past year, was thrilled over Wyatt’s healthy arrival. Cohen wrote on Instagram, “‘New life, new hope!’ Wyatt Cooper, you couldn’t have come at a better time! I know a friend who can’t wait to meet you!”

Following Cooper’s surprise announcement, thousands of congratulations messages were shared on social media from his celebrity friends, co-workers, and fans across the nation.

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