Anderson Cooper’s Mom Gloria Vanderbilt Loved Her Gay Son for Who He Is — He Held Her Hand until Her Last Breath

Anderson Cooper is thankful that his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, loved him unconditionally. As she got close to the end of her life, Anderson held her hand and enjoyed every precious moment with her until she died peacefully.

Anderson Cooper, a respected journalist and television host, captivates viewers on CNN with his insightful reporting. Meanwhile, his mother, Gloria Laura Vanderbilt, made a name for herself as an American socialite, artist, and designer.

Gloria's love for her son knew no bounds, even after he revealed himself to be gay. Their bond was unbreakable and deep, weathering every storm and enduring every challenge.

Gloria has been married four times throughout her life. However, her fourth and final husband, Wyatt Cooper, was the one she loved most deeply out of all her previous husbands.

Wyatt was a writer and magazine editor from a prominent Southern family. He was also a doting stepfather to her two older sons, Chris and Stan. Together, he and Gloria welcomed two more sons, Anderson and Carter.

Gloria described Wyatt as the love of her life, saying he gave her the family life she had always wanted. He was a wonderful father and made her understand what it would have been like to have had a father figure in her life.

It was an experience she had never had before meeting Wyatt. Their marriage was filled with joy, but it also had its share of problems.

Wyatt's family had a history of early deaths. In January 1978, Wyatt's life was cut short when he passed away from a heart attack during surgery. He was 50.

Despite his tragic passing, Gloria never let go of her love for him. Even several years after his death, she still thought of him as her one true love and continued to be known as "Mrs. Cooper."

But that was not the end of Gloria's grief. She suffered another devastating blow with the unexpected death of her son, Carter, at the age of 23.

Gloria's heart was shattered into a million pieces over her son's passing. For three weeks, she said she did nothing but cry in her bed, unable to find comfort or solace.

Gloria became closer to Anderson after Carter's death. Despite not knowing his whereabouts, she was also in frequent contact with her other son, Stan. However, no one has heard of Stan and Anderson's other sibling, Christopher.

Gloria stated that Christopher had completely severed ties with their family, indicating that he no longer wished to be a part of their lives. Despite this, she respected his choice.

After the tragic losses of Carter and Wyatt, and with her two other sons being away, Gloria and Anderson were left to cope with the devastating events within their family.

Anderson remembered that he was only 10 when his father died and 21 when his brother passed away. Over time, Anderson and Gloria became each other's best friends.

Gloria Accepted Anderson's Sexuality

Gloria became Anderson's close confidant as the years went by. When the famed journalist revealed that he liked men, Gloria, in return, accepted him the way he was. She said:

"There's no difference. Love is love."

Cooper's realization of his own orientation was sparked by a performance of the play "Bent," which depicted the persecution of gays in Nazi Germany. He remembered seeing the play when he was 11 years old.

Initially, Anderson had difficulty opening up to his mom because of an experience involving his grandmother, Gloria Morgan Vanderbilt. She had been accused of being in a lesbian relationship, which deeply affected him.

Anderson first revealed his sexuality to his friends during high school, but it wasn't until he was 21 that he felt comfortable enough to confess to his mother.

He said his admission was interesting, as they never discussed it afterward. Despite this, Gloria accepted his sexuality and met his boyfriends, and they continued with their lives as usual.

Moreover, Anderson stated that when he told Gloria he was gay, he regretted saying, "I think I am." The acclaimed news presenter believed his mother thought he was unsure of who he was, although he was happy to be gay.

As for Gloria, she said it took a lot of bravery for Anderson to open up to her. She reassured her son that she entirely accepted and was "more than okay" with him being gay. She expressed joy and happiness at his sexual identity.

In 2016, Gloria surprised Anderson by revealing an interesting aspect of her love life before marriage. She admitted to having a same-sex relationship when she was just 13 years old.

Anderson was shocked by this discovery because he had never heard about this aspect of his mother's life before, only about his grandmother. Gloria went on to explain that her teenage relationship was short-lived.

Eventually, Gloria understood that love is the same regardless of sexual orientation. "And it's just like being married, it's what it is," the famed designer said at the time.

Anderson's Final Moments with Gloria

Gloria and Anderson's relationship continued to grow stronger. However, in 2019, a serious condition would eventually cause their beautiful relationship to end.

On June 8 of that year, the American socialite learned she had cancer and that, according to Anderson, she only had nine days to live. Anderson added that her friends and family paid her visits.

Gloria was lavished with love and affection by the nurses who cared for her. Anderson also spent all nine days and nights next to his mother. He sang songs to her and even danced with her. He held her hand until her last breath.

Gloria died on June 17. She was 95. Anderson described spending those few days with his mother as a "great blessing" and the best possible end to her remarkable life. Emotional, Anderson said after her passing:

"I never realized until now how much she was my North Star as well…Right now, things seem a lot less magical and bright without her."

He then recalled the deaths of his father and brother and how he could not protect his mother because of his young age. But he was able to make up for it by making Gloria's later years comfortable and fulfilling.

Anderson also recalled that one week before Gloria passed away, they danced the night away to "Is That All There Is," a song by the singer Peggy Lee. It was Gloria's mother's all-time favorite song.

The journalist described their final moments together as he sang and danced back and forth with her while holding her hand as if they were in a ball. Gloria remarked that it was a wonderful evening.

Anderson couldn't believe his mother was gone. He wrote on Instagram in a heartbreaking post that her mother believed in love more than anyone else.

Anderson added that his mother's life was driven by love and that it guided and gave her solace. His moving tribute included photos of Gloria's younger days.

In his mom's final moments, she told him she loved him. Anderson added, "I did, I knew it from the moment I was born, and I will know it till the moment I die. It was her greatest gift to me."

Despite Anderson and Gloria's struggles and hardships together, their bond only grew stronger. Together, they navigated through pain and loss and found a way to honor the memories of those they loved and lost.

In the end, the love and support Gloria provided for Anderson were unwavering and unconditional, making him forever grateful for his mother's love.