Anderson Cooper fees his "life has begun" now he is a father.
The CNN anchor welcomed son Wyatt into the world via a surrogate in April and he admitted parenthood is a "dream come true" for him, particularly because growing up, he always assumed he’d never have children because of his sexuality.
He told People magazine: "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.’
"This is a dream come true. It feels like my life has actually begun."
The 53-year-old presenter is experiencing a "new level of love" unlike anything he’s ever known towards his son.
He added: "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 53-year-old presenter admitted becoming a parent at a time of the coronavirus pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests sweeping the globe have made him feel "invested in the future in a way I hadn’t really before".
He added: "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."
Anderson is raising Wyatt with his former partner Benjamin Maisani and he admitted they’ve both grown more emotional since the tot was born.
He said: "I cry at things I never cried at before.
"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."