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.

After Mom’s Death, Son Kicks Stepdad Out of the House & Posh Car Stops in Front of the Old Man — Story of the Day

A man is abandoned by the stepson he raised as his own after his wife died, and is unexpectedly rescued by a kind young man.

Do you believe in karma? Bob didn’t. He lived his life and made his decisions with no thought for anyone except himself. What he wanted was what was right, no matter the cost to everyone else.

Bob never imagined that his attitude would reverberate down the years until he found himself standing by the side of a lonely road watching his only family drive away, leaving him alone, abandoned.

Bob was stunned when his stepson turned him out like a stray dog | Source: Shutterstock.com

Bob was stunned when his stepson turned him out like a stray dog | Source: Shutterstock.com

The man driving away from Bob was Sam, his stepson, the boy he’d raised as his own and loved with all his heart from the time he was five years old. Back then, Bob had been on the verge of marriage when he’d met Sam’s mother, Adele.

Adele had been beautiful, charming, exciting, and Bob had walked out on his fiancée without an explanation. He left his old life behind like a dirty shirt and married the wealthy Adele.

For thirty years Bob and Adele had been happy. They traveled around the world living a life of luxury in the inheritance she had received on the death of her wealthy old husband — Sam’s father.

Bob thought they had been a happy family until Adele had become very ill. Unfortunately, not all the money in the world could save her from the terrible cancer that burned through her frail body.

Selfish Bob had walked away from his fiancée to marry a rich woman with a child | Source: Pexels

Selfish Bob had walked away from his fiancée to marry a rich woman with a child | Source: Pexels

When they lowered Adele’s coffin into the ground, Bob had stood by the graveside, shaking. “My love,” he whispered, “I will never forget you, never! And I promise you I will look after Sam.”

But unfortunately for Bob, Sam had made no such promises. A few days after Adele’s death, her lawyer called Bob and Sam and explained that she hadn’t left a will, and the estate would be in Sam’s hands provisionally.

Be careful of the examples you give the young because they will surely follow them.

“Until we can ascertain Bob’s rights, Sam,” the lawyer explained. “Since the bulk of the estate was left by your father…”

Sam had smiled. “Of course…That seems very fair to me, and Bob, you can be sure I’ll be fair.” Bob smiled and thanked Sam for his kindness, never imagining the true intention behind his words.

Bob raised Adele's son as if he were his own | Source: Unsplash

Bob raised Adele’s son as if he were his own | Source: Unsplash

That weekend, Sam invited Bob to go for a drive out in the country to get some fresh air. “Bob,” he said. “We need to get rid of the cobwebs before we can start a new life!”

The two had driven off in Sam’s convertible and Bob had noticed that his stepson was uncharacteristically quiet, even though he smiled a lot, and looked amused.

When they were outside the city limits, Sam stopped the car. “Get out,” he said. “Get out now.”

“Sam?” asked Bob, bewildered. “What’s going on?”

When Adele passed away, Bob was devastated | Source: Pexels

When Adele passed away, Bob was devastated | Source: Pexels

“As I told you, I’m getting rid of the cobwebs, starting a new life,” Sam said with a nasty little smile. “And you’re dead weight, old man.”

“But…I promised your mother I’d look out for you…” Bob gasped.

“But I never made her any promises,” his stepson said. “I don’t owe YOU anything. You lived off her for thirty years, that’s long enough, don’t you think?”

“I love you!” whispered Bob with tears in his eyes. “You were like a son to me, I thought you cared for me!”

“Care?” asked Sam. “What I care about is all that money and I’m not about to share it with you. It’s MY money, old man, so get lost!”

His stepson Sam seemed very supportive, but after the funeral, Bob was in for a surprise | Source: Unsplash

His stepson Sam seemed very supportive, but after the funeral, Bob was in for a surprise | Source: Unsplash

Sam made a threatening gesture and Bob stumbled out of the car trembling. He stood and watched as Sam’s car vanished in a dwindling cloud of dust.

He looked around. The emptiness stretched out in all directions from horizon to horizon, and he had nothing except his walking stick. He started wobbling after Sam’s car, thinking that sooner or later he’d come across a house, or be overtaken by another vehicle.

Surely someone would be kind enough to stop for an old man? But car after car sped by, and no one stopped. After a while, Bob stopped trying to flag them down. He just stopped where he was.

The sun was going down and it was getting very cold when a large expensive-looking car stopped next to him. “Sir,” asked a kindly voice. “Are you alright?”

The lawyer told Sam and Bob that Adele had died without a will | Source: Unsplash

The lawyer told Sam and Bob that Adele had died without a will | Source: Unsplash

Bob felt tears fill his eyes at the sound of the concern in that stranger’s voice. “No,” he said shakily. “I’ve been abandoned here. Please, if you could take me to the nearest town, a police station? If it’s not too much trouble!”

“Abandoned?” the man sounded shocked. “That’s shocking! Please get in.”

The driver was a young man in his early thirties with a friendly smile and kindly blue eyes. He reminded Bob of someone, but he couldn’t remember who it was. Bob told the man, whose name was Jake Kale his whole story.

Jake was indignant, and when he saw that Bob was shaking from the cold, he decided to take him home. “I’ll take you to the police tomorrow morning, Bob,” he said. “Tonight you get warm and have a good meal and a restful sleep.”

Sam invited Bob to go for a drive | Source: Unsplash

Sam invited Bob to go for a drive | Source: Unsplash

Jake led Bob into a lovely cozy home and introduced him to his wife Angela and his daughter Faye. “My mother is joining us for dinner, Bob,” Jake said. As he was speaking, a cheerful voice called out a greeting and a sweet-faced woman in her sixties walked in.

She had Jake’s eyes, Bob noticed, and once again he had the eery feeling that he knew her from somewhere, but where? Bob was stunned when the woman turned and saw him standing there. She cried out, and Jake had to grab her before she fell.

“Mom!” Jake cried, “Are you OK?”

“That man…” gasped Peggy Kale. “Bob…It’s you!”

"It's MY money, old man, so get lost!" | Source: Unsplash

“It’s MY money, old man, so get lost!” | Source: Unsplash

“I’m Bob,” said Bob bewildered, “But how did you know?” Then he saw the years fall away from that sweet face. “Peggy! After all these years!”

“How did you get here? How did you find us?” Peggy asked.

Bob shook his head. “It was Jake who found me, rescued me. I was abandoned on the road. He picked me up. He’s your son?”

“Yes,” Peggy said quietly. “My son…and yours.”

A kind man driving by stopped and took Bob home | Source: Unsplash

A kind man driving by stopped and took Bob home | Source: Unsplash

“Mine?” whispered Bob. “You were pregnant? You didn’t tell me!”

“You walked away a week before our wedding,” Peggy said. “I didn’t know then — and later it didn’t seem to matter. You didn’t want me, and I wasn’t going to use my baby to pressure you.”

Bob lowered his head and cried bitter tears. “I raised Adele’s son!” he whispered. “You knew that?”

And as Peggy nodded, Bob continued bitterly: “It was Adele’s boy — whom I thought was my boy, who abandoned me by the side of the road like a stray dog.”

Jake's mother was the fiancée Bob had abandoned  | Source: Pexels

Jake’s mother was the fiancée Bob had abandoned | Source: Pexels

Peggy smiled. “And it was my son who saved you…Think about that, Bob!”

Bob did. He spent the night tossing and turning, thinking about the choices he’d made, the examples he’d given Sam. He’d raised a selfish, grasping, dishonest man, and Peggy had raised a good, generous one.

The next day, Jake took Bob to a police station and lodged a complaint against Sam. Jake got Bob a good lawyer and the courts awarded Bob half of Adele’s substantial estate.

Shortly after the court’s decision, Bob signed over every cent to his son Jake, and to his granddaughter. He begged Peggy’s forgiveness and he is now working hard at making it up to his son and his ex-fiancée.

Bob found the family he didn't know he had | Source: Unsplash

Bob found the family he didn’t know he had | Source: Unsplash

What can we learn from this story?

  • Be careful of the examples you give the young because they will surely follow them. Bob was a selfish man, and that was the example he gave his stepson.
  • Fate will bring you face to face with your greatest mistakes so you can make amends. The man who rescued Bob was his biological son whom he had apparently abandoned before he was born.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a woman who is shocked when she sees a homeless stranger wearing the pendant she’d buried with her fiancé after his death in a car crash.

This account is inspired by our reader’s story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life. 

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