Anderson Cooper Bravely Opens Up About Coping with His Dad’s Passing as a Kid

Anderson Cooper is opening up about grief, healing, and rediscovering joy. During his October 15 appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” the 58-year-old CNN anchor spoke candidly about the lasting impact of losing his father and brother at a young age, and how he has finally learned to embrace both pain and happiness.

Cooper, who lost his father Wyatt Cooper in 1978 when he was just 10 years old and his brother Carter Cooper in 1988, admitted he spent decades avoiding grief. “I shut down,” he told Colbert.

“I went for 40 years without allowing myself to feel the pain of the grief. But the irony is, by not allowing myself to feel the pain of it, I also didn’t allow myself to ever feel joy. True joy. Because you can’t have one without the other.”

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With emotion in his voice, Cooper added, “It’s only in the last two years, by feeling this grief and this sadness, that I’ve been able to feel joy. And I have a lot to feel joy about because I’ve got these two little boys who are just incredible.”

The Power of Connection Through Loss

Cooper also reflected on how grief has transformed his relationships with those he’s lost. “You can still have a relationship with somebody who’s died,” he said. “I have a relationship with my dad that’s extraordinary, and I know him better now than I ever knew him when he was alive.”

Colbert, who also lost his father and two brothers as a child, appeared visibly moved by Cooper’s words. The two men have long shared a bond over loss and the search for meaning that comes from it.

His Podcast ‘All There Is’ Helps Others Heal

The journalist’s heartfelt reflections tie closely to his podcast, “All There Is,” which explores grief, resilience, and love. Cooper revealed he’s listened to over 6,000 voicemails from listeners sharing their own stories of loss. “It’s the most profound experience of my life,” he said. “I routinely call up people who send me messages. These are the most real conversations you could possibly have.”

Cooper shared that Season 4 of “All There Is” will premiere on October 28 and continue throughout the year, accompanied by a new weekly streaming show where he’ll speak directly with listeners.

Finding Joy in Fatherhood

Now a proud dad to sons Wyatt, 5, and Sebastian, 3, Cooper said fatherhood has been a gift that helped him rediscover light after years of darkness. “It’s the greatest gift,” he told Colbert. “I have a lot to feel joy about because I’ve got these two little boys who are just incredible. One of them is backstage right now watching.”

For Cooper, grief is no longer something to hide from; it’s something that has allowed him to reconnect, feel deeply, and live more fully.

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