Kathie Lee Gifford Celebrates Birthday of Grandson Named after Her Late Husband — He Looks ‘So Much like His Grandpa’

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.

I Accidentally Saw My MIL in a Nightshirt on a Phone, but to My Shock, It Wasn’t Her or Her Husband’s Phone

I Accidentally Saw My MIL in a Nightshirt on a Phone, but to My Shock, It Wasn’t Her or Her Husband’s Phone

Jocelyn is enjoying a big family holiday when she accidentally sees racy pics of her MIL on a phone. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the owner of the phone then comes looking for the device, and it’s the last person she expected!

There are some things you just can’t unsee. I had one of those moments recently, during an annual family get-together at my in-laws’ cottage.

A bunch of us gather here every summer, including my parents and other relatives. We usually have a great time, but this year, I accidentally exposed a huge secret. The fallout almost destroyed us all.

A cabin on a lakeshore | Source: Pexels

A cabin on a lakeshore | Source: Pexels

So there I was, curled up in the old armchair in the corner of the living room, trying to fend off a nasty headache. Everyone was either cleaning up after dinner or preparing for our traditional board game night.

We had a rule: all phones went into a small wooden box during game time to ensure we all stayed present. The box was sitting right next to me, and I was using the lull to rest a bit after the games.

That’s when it happened.

A small wooden chest | Source: Pexels

A small wooden chest | Source: Pexels

One of the phones in the box buzzed. No big deal, right? But then it buzzed again. And again. Curiosity got the better of me.

I reached for the buzzing phone, trying to remember if we had any rules about checking messages. Pretty sure we didn’t, so I figured it couldn’t hurt.

The screen lit up as I picked it up. The wallpaper was a generic sunset, nothing special. But the notifications… I wish I hadn’t looked.

Woman staring at a phone in shock | Source: MidJourney

Woman staring at a phone in shock | Source: MidJourney

There, right on the screen, was a photo of my MIL, Mandy, in lingerie. My heart skipped a beat. I mean, she’s a classy lady, always so put-together, and there she was, posing like a Victoria’s Secret model.

I thought for sure it was Dean, my FIL’s phone. They’ve been married forever, so maybe they had their ways of keeping things spicy. Gross, but whatever.

But before I could even process that thought, my dad walked into the room, looking like he’d lost something. He went straight to the box, glanced inside, and frowned.

A mature man frowning | Source: MidJourney

A mature man frowning | Source: MidJourney

“Hey, have you seen my phone?” he asked, scanning the room.

I held up the buzzing phone, trying to keep my face neutral. “This one?”

He grinned. “Yeah, that’s mine.”

Wait, what? My brain couldn’t keep up. My dad’s phone? I felt like I was in a bad soap opera.

He grabbed the phone from my hand and his eyes widened as he saw the screen. Without another word, he stormed into the kitchen. I followed him, feeling like I was floating outside my own body.

A woman in shock | Source: Pexels

A woman in shock | Source: Pexels

In the kitchen, Mandy was washing dishes, humming softly to herself. My dad didn’t waste a second.

“Stop doing this! Stop sending these pictures!” he snapped.

She spun around, dropping a plate that shattered on the floor. Her face turned a shade of red I didn’t think was possible.

Maybe I should’ve waited to overhear more of the conversation, but that’s just not the type of person I am. Instead, I rushed right in there, determined to get answers.

“What’s going on?” I blurted out, stepping into the room.

A woman peering around a door | Source: Pexels

A woman peering around a door | Source: Pexels

Both Dad and Mandy froze, like deer caught in headlights. They stared at me before exchanging a guilty look.

“Everything is fine, honey,” Mandy stammered. “It’s just a misunderstanding.”

“I don’t think so,” I replied, crossing my arms. “I saw the pictures.”

Dad sighed and rubbed his forehead. “I’ll explain everything.”

He took my hand and led me upstairs to one of the bedrooms. My mind was racing, trying to piece together what was happening.

“Look,” he began, sitting me down on the edge of the bed. “Mandy and I knew each other when we were younger.”

A tense mature man | Source: Pexels

A tense mature man | Source: Pexels

“She was in love with me,” he continued, “but I didn’t feel the same. I met your mom, and everything between us ended. Or so I thought.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. This was insane.

“When you and Dylan got married, and I saw Mandy again… it was surreal. We decided not to tell anyone about our past together. But then the pictures started.” Dad hung his head. “At first, I thought it was a one-time thing, but then it kept happening. Today was the last straw.”

“This is crazy,” I said, my voice barely a whisper.

A shocked woman | Source: Pexels

A shocked woman | Source: Pexels

“I know, and I’m sorry you had to see that,” he said, his eyes full of regret. “But you need to understand, it’s over. It’s been over for a long time. Your mother is the love of my life, and nothing will ever change that.”

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “What do we do now?”

“We confront this together, as a family,” he said firmly. “No more secrets. We’ll talk to her and make sure this stops for good.”

I was still reeling from everything Dad had told me as we headed back downstairs.

A wooden staircase | Source: Pexels

A wooden staircase | Source: Pexels

The whole thing felt surreal like I was trapped in some twisted reality show. My dad’s affair with Mandy from decades ago, her unrequited love, and now these scandalous photos — my head was spinning.

The rest of the family was gathered in the living room, sensing something was up. Mandy was nervously picking at a thread on her sweater, while Dean looked concerned, his eyes darting between us.

“We need to talk,” my dad announced, breaking the tense silence. “All of us. Now.”

“What’s this about?” Dean asked, his voice laced with worry.

A mature man | Source: Pexels

A mature man | Source: Pexels

Mandy’s face paled as she glanced at my dad. “Please, not here. Not in front of everyone.”

“No,” I said, surprising even myself with the firmness in my voice. “This needs to be out in the open.”

My dad nodded, taking a deep breath. “It’s about the photos, the ones you’ve been sending to me.”

Dean’s eyes widened in shock. “What photos? What’s he talking about?”

Mandy’s shoulders slumped, and she let out a shaky breath. “I… Joseph and I dated before I met you. I’ve been sending him pictures. Inappropriate pictures. It was a mistake. I thought… I don’t know what I thought.”

Regretful mature woman | Source: Pexels

Regretful mature woman | Source: Pexels

“You thought it was okay to do this?” I couldn’t keep the anger out of my voice. “To send those photos to my dad? How could you?”

Dean looked like someone had punched him. “I can’t believe this. Why, Mandy? Why would you do something like this?”

Tears welled up in Mandy’s eyes. “I was trying to hold onto something that was never really there. I made a mistake, a terrible mistake.”

“A mistake?” Dean echoed, his voice shaking with hurt. “This is more than a mistake. This is betrayal.”

Angry mature man | Source: MidJourney

Angry mature man | Source: MidJourney

My dad stepped forward, his expression serious. “We need to address this as a family. Mandy, you need to stop this behavior immediately.”

She nodded, wiping away her tears. “I know. I’m so sorry. I’ll do whatever it takes to make things right.”

We spent the next hour discussing what to do next. My dad was adamant that we needed a clear plan to move forward.

“We need to ensure this never happens again. Mandy, you need to seek help. Therapy, counseling—whatever.”

A sad mature woman | Source: Pexels

A sad mature woman | Source: Pexels

“I will,” she agreed, her voice small but determined. “I’ll get help. I don’t want to hurt this family any more than I already have.”

The weight of her words settled over us, and for a moment, there was only silence. Then Dean spoke, his voice heavy with emotion. “I need time to process this. But I want us to work through it. For our family.”

We all nodded, the gravity of the situation pulling us together. It wasn’t going to be easy, but we had to try.

Later that evening, after things had calmed down, my mom arrived.

Smiling mature woman | Source: Pexels

Smiling mature woman | Source: Pexels

She’d been out for a walk, blissfully unaware of the storm that had erupted in her absence. We sat her down and explained everything.

Her reaction was a mixture of shock, sadness, and resolve. “We’ll get through this,” she said, holding my dad’s hand. “We’re a family, and we’ll face this together.”

The next few days were a blur of emotions as we all tried to process what had happened. There were a lot of difficult conversations, tears, and attempts at understanding.

Mandy started seeing a therapist, and slowly, we began to pick up the pieces.

Mature woman speaking to her therapist | Source: MidJourney

Mature woman speaking to her therapist | Source: MidJourney

It was a long road to healing, but for the first time in a long while, it felt like we were all moving in the right direction. No more secrets, no more lies—just the truth, as painful as it was, and the hope that we could rebuild what had been broken.

Would you have exposed the secret if this happened to you?

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