Kathie Lee Gifford recently celebrated her grandson’s birthday.
Gifford’s grandson once dressed up as his late grandfather.
Gifford’s son and his partner are in a happy relationship.
Kathie Lee Gifford is best known as a co-host on “Today” on NBC. She has been a staple on the network for many years, and fans have become acquainted with her family as she often talks and posts about them.
Most recently, Gifford shared the news that her grandson had celebrated his birthday. Fans and friends alike took to the comments section of her post to wish the young man a happy birthday and express how much they loved the family.
Gifford shared a photo of her grandson strapped into his car seat, beaming at the camera, and wished him a happy birthday before saying::
“So grateful to God for the gift of Frankie.”
Gifford’s grandson is named after her late husband, Frank Gifford, who passed away in 2015. Many fans mentioned they could see Frankie’s grandfather in the child, while others thought he looked more like his father, Cody.
Other fans wished little Frankie a happy birthday, while others talked about how cute the tot was. Some people thought Frankie looked like his mom, but most saw a strong resemblance to his father and grandfather.
One fan said that he was clearly doing his namesake justice and they knew Frank would have been proud. Another called him his “father’s twin” while others called him “adorable.” An adoring commenter said Frankie was “like his Grandpa and daddy.”
Frankie Dressed Up As “Big Frank”
In keeping with the sentiment that little Frankie looks so much like his late grandfather, Gifford’s daughter-in-law, Erika, shared a sweet comparison photo of the pair in January this year. The first photo showed Frank Gifford as a young man, and the following picture showed Frankie dressed in an almost identical outfit.
Erika called Frank Gifford “Big Frank” and her son “Little Frankie” before saying they were proud of Frank’s previous NFL team, the New York Giants. Frank holds a football in the first photo, while in the second, Frankie chews on a plush toy version. Fans were charmed by the pictures.
Some once again commented on how alike the pair were, while other fans thought the comparison photos were “the cutest.” Gifford herself commented on the snaps saying how adorable the comparison was.
Fans mentioned that Frank, Cody, and baby Frankie all looked very much alike. Some fans thought that Frank would have loved to meet his grandson and said they were three generations of lookalikes in the family.
Others simply said baby Frankie looked “so much like his Grandpa” as others again talked about how proud Frank would have been of the tiny tot.
Who Is Gifford’s Daughter-In-Law and Her Son’s Long-Term Love?
Gifford shares a close relationship with Cody’s wife, Erika, and when he proposed in 2019, Gifford shared her joy that her son had found the love of his life and was set to tie the knot with her.
Shortly after the proposal, Gifford took to Instagram to share a photo of her son and then-soon-to-be daughter-in-law kissing as Erika held up a bejeweled left hand. Many people sent messages of congratulations on the post.
Cody’s sister, Cassidy, also shared the news of her brother’s engagement on Instagram, saying how happy she was for the pair and that she was excited to welcome Erika into the family as her sister.
Fans commented on the engagement posts and said Frank would have been proud of his son. A year later, Cody and Erika caused mass excitement again on their September wedding day.
Gifford again used Instagram as her news platform, sharing that her son and daughter-in-law exchanged vows on Labor Day weekend. She featured a photo of the bride and groom walking and holding hands as they gazed into one another’s eyes. The caption read:
“God gave us a glorious day to celebrate this glorious couple. So grateful.”
Before Erika and Cody got engaged, they had been together since 2013, and Gifford was more than ready to welcome Erika into the family officially. Erika shared that although 2020 had been a challenging year for many, their wedding was a silver lining in a dark cloud.
Erika shared that only their closest family and friends had been in attendance, and they had taken all the necessary precautions to make it “the most blessed and perfect day of [their] lives.” However, the wedding had its share of hiccups.
Erika had a personalized veil, but the word “the” was misspelled as “The.” She joked it was to be expected from a year like 2020. Gifford commented that it was a testament to their love that they didn’t let slight inconveniences ruin the day.
Cody and Erika welcomed their son into the world two years after they tied the knot. When naming his son, Cody knew he wanted to honor his father and name his baby after him.
Cody and Erika named their son Frank Michael Gifford, and when Gifford found out, she admitted:
“I was surprised Cody named him after his dad because Cody knew what it was like to grow up in the shadow of a great man. But I guess he’s never gotten over, really, and he never will, the loss of his dad at an early age, and he was his hero, and he still is.”
Gifford shared that when she got the news that her son was expecting a baby, she told him that his father would be so happy with all the positive things happening in their lives and that he was smiling down on them.
Little Frankie’s name does not only honor his late grandfather but also a family member on Erika’s side. Frankie’s middle name, Michael, is a tribute to Erika’s uncle, who passed shortly before the little tike was born.
Frankie was born three weeks premature, but he and his mother were healthy following the birth, and he has now grown into a bouncing, happy, and healthy one-year-old who is adored by his family and his grandmother’s fans worldwide.
My Son Disappeared When He Was 15 – 10 Years Later, I Found Out the Shocking Truth
My Son Disappeared When He Was 15 – 10 Years Later, I Found Out the Shocking Truth
Julia thought that by marrying her late husband’s brother Mike, she was giving her son a father figure. However, it took her ten years, her son’s disappearance, and a glasses case to learn the truth.
As the scripture says, “Seek and ye shall find.” I learned the meaning of this phrase the hard way. I’ve always thought the darkness after losing my husband was the worst to come, but alas… Let’s start my story from the very beginning.
The first time my little happy life was shaken was when my husband of 13 years, Tom, was diagnosed with cancer. Despite our best efforts, the prognosis remained bleak, and he left us within two months. The pain was soul-crushing.
Crying woman hugging man | Source: Getty Images
Our son Robert remained my only ray of sunshine until his uncle, Tom’s brother Mike, came into the picture. I suspected he had had feelings for me since high school, but I had chosen Tom and never looked back. Now, our grief united us once again.
I didn’t love him, no. But I thought Rob would benefit from a father figure, and frankly, our house could use a strong helping hand. And so, I decided to marry him.
Couple getting married in church | Source: Getty Images
At first, things seemed to look positive for us. I still missed Tom, but drowned my grief in work and found myself drifting away from my son. Fortunately, I thought, Mike had my back and gave Rob the upbringing he deserved. After all, every day I came home to countless stories of them hiking, attending theme parks, or simply playing catch. Rob even grew to call Mike his dad. For two years, I blindly believed we could overcome the void Tom left in our hearts and become a happy family. Boy, was I wrong.
Playful father and son playing while exercising at beach against sky | Source: Getty Images
Everything came crashing down once again when Rob left. That day, the home was unusually silent when I returned from work. Mike sat me down and, with tears in his eyes, explained that he found Rob’s note on the fridge:
Dear Mom and Dad,
I’ve decided to leave because I thought it would be better for everyone if I wasn’t around to bring up more bad memories and sorrow. Please understand that this isn’t because of anything you did, but a decision I felt I needed to make for the sake of peace at home. I promise to take care of myself and hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me someday. Remember that I love you both, and this is the hardest choice I’ve ever had to make.
Take care, rob
Young woman got a bad letter uvolnenii | Source: Getty Images
The next ten years blurred into a never-ending search. The police didn’t bother looking for a runaway teen too hard. On his 18th birthday, they called us and said, “Let’s just let him go. He doesn’t want to be found anyway.” Oh, but I never stopped looking. I searched crowds in our town, held vigil, and even kept a lit candle on our windowsill. I knew this irritated Mike, who desperately tried to get me to move on after all these years. And on the tenth anniversary of Rob’s disappearance, I finally gave in.
After exploring various options for starting anew, we purchased a stunning colonial property two states away from our old home and left the latter to my sister, Schuyler. I couldn’t fathom someone outside our family owning the house. Having moved so far, we slowly disconnected from my side of the family. Imagine my surprise when, one day, someone very familiar burst through my door.
Colonial house on a Spring day | Source: Getty Images
That evening, I was packing my husband’s suitcase for a business trip. Suddenly, the door flung open. When I raised my eyes, I dropped the neatly ironed shirts I was holding. The person on the doorstep was my sister. But before I could greet her, she rushed to the suitcase, screaming, “Open his glasses case! He’s the one who hid Rob from you!”
I watched in a stupor as she frantically rummaged through my husband’s belongings, her hands finally clutching the familiar glasses case. However, I was in for a surprise when she opened it. She revealed… a phone. “Look,” Schuyler said before opening the call log and handing the phone to me.
Senior Man on Telephone | Source: Getty Images
I lowered my eyes, feeling conflicted, and my heart skipped a beat. The log was filled with dozens of calls to Robert. Every month, my husband took this burner phone and called up my son to…
“He told him you two would be better off without him,” Schuyler explained.
Sad and bored child at home couch feeling frustrated | Source: Getty Images
Turns out, I’ve been living a lie all these years. Every hike, every theme park trip, Mike used to show Rob how much of his life I missed. When I became distanced enough, he started on the second part of his plan, persuading Robert to leave us for the sake of our family. “Look, how much mom has to work to feed you,” he said. “Wouldn’t it be nice if she spent that money on herself? Wouldn’t you like to release her of the burden that you are?” He suggested Rob stay with his aunt, and my poor kid complied, thinking I had no room for him in my life.
Family at home | Source: Getty Images
How did it all come to light, you might ask? Well, my sweet boy decided to get married this year and sent us wedding invitations, which my sister received. Of course, she called to congratulate him, and this is when Rob spoke about the rift between us. I’m certain anyone but my sister would believe him. However, she knew everything about my struggles in the past ten years, so when Rob confessed to her about the burner phone, she put two and two together quickly. Hopping the plane took her no time, and here she was, uncovering a decade of terrible family secrets.
Side view of beautiful young woman at mailbox | Source: Getty Images
I cried during the entire call with my son. His raspy teenage voice had become deep and warm, but I recognized the intonations that he had picked up from me. His fiancée’s name was Amanda, and she soon joined us via FaceTime. This was how Mike found me: crying over the phone with my long-lost son.
Portrait of a handsome groom with his mother | Source: Getty Images
His explanations fell on deaf ears. I served divorce papers that week, and a month later, I flew to my home state to attend Rob’s wedding. This year, I sold the colonial house I once loved and moved closer to my son and his young family. Now, I’m a grandma to two sweet babies, and when they grow up, I will teach them, “Seek and ye shall find.”
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