Anderson Cooper asked himself this week why he didn’t have a son sooner with co-parent and former partner Benjamin Maisani, 47, in PEOPLE’s cover story for the magazine’s first-ever Pride issue.
Cooper made the emotional announcement on April 30, to CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360° how he had become a father just three days earlier to baby Wyatt Morgan.
“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,’” he reveals. “This is a dream come true.”
“It feels like my life has actually begun,” Cooper continues. “And I sort of wonder, what was I waiting for? This is a new level of love. It’s unlike anything I’ve experienced, and yet it’s also very familiar and incredibly special and intimate. It’s really extraordinary.”
The experience of fatherhood as given Cooper fresh eyes as he works from home while covering momentous news like the coronavirus pandemic along with national protests following the death of George Floyd. “I feel invested in the future in a way I hadn’t really before,” he says.
RELATED: In Honor of Anderson Cooper’s First Father’s Day, Here Are Some of His Best Dad Moments So Far
“There’s something about having a child that makes you feel connected to what is happening and you want to make sure that the world this child is growing up in is a better one. You suddenly worry much more about the future of all of us.”
And like most new parents, Cooper is exhausted. “I’m more tired than I’ve ever been, but I wouldn’t change it for the world,” he says.
But while he may not be sleeping, the tears come in droves for Cooper.
RELATED: Andy Cohen’s Nanny Is Leaving To Care For Anderson Cooper’s 4-Week Old Son
“I cry at things I never cried at before,” he admits.
“And Benjamin, I’ve never seen him cry, but I couldn’t believe how weepy he gets with Wyatt. I find myself being overwhelmed with emotion, and it’s a lovely thing.”
Additionally, Cooper says he is also filled with gratitude for “all the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people who struggled for generations and have died never thinking this was a possibility.”
Mamas Uncut is THE online place for moms. We cover the latest about motherhood, parenting, and entertainment as well – all with a mom-focused twist. So if you're looking for parenting advice from real parents, we have plenty of it, all for moms from moms, and also experts. Because, at the end of the day, our mission is focused solely on empowering moms and moms-to-be with the knowledge and answers they’re looking for in one safe space.