In anticipation of the release of Astor, a recounting of the story of the famed namesake family, Anderson Cooper sat down for a new interview where he delved into the legacy of his own family.
The 56-year-old anchor spoke with The New York Times ahead of the book's September 19 release about family ties and allowing his love for his own family members and grief to fuel his writings.
When Anderson was ten, his father, prominent author Wyatt Emory Cooper, died of several heart attacks while in the midst of open heart surgery at the age of 50. And when he was 21, his older brother, Carter, died by suicide.
© Getty ImagesIn his latest interview, he was asked about seeing grief as a "gift," a way to appreciate life even more, and Anderson responded: "I do feel that. I'm not sure I fully understand it.
"I have the privilege of being able to be invited to step into somebody else's pain and learn the name of their child who's died and tell that person's story if they want it told," he continued, referencing his career as a prolific author and journalist.
"None of that would be possible if I had not experienced the loss of my dad, my brother. It made me the person I am today. I'm blessed to be in the position I'm in, to be alive and have wonderful kids. I wish my dad and brother were here to witness it. I don't know who I would be if they were still alive."
© Getty ImagesA dad himself to sons Wyatt and Sebastian, Anderson has frequently cited his brother's loss as the force that drove him to journalism, plaguing him with questions about survival and learning life's different truths.
MORE: Anderson Cooper's family ordeal with stalker receives crucial update – details
He continued: "Why I got into this line of work was a direct result of the early losses I experienced. It's not an accident that I started by traveling to disasters and wars and wanting to be around people who spoke the language of loss. For me, joining CNN was to continue that work.
"But I didn't set out to be an anchor. I found that I could anchor and I enjoy it and I like the challenge. But it is different. It's not the subject matter every night that I'm most drawn to personally, but there are interesting challenges in that.
MORE: Anderson Cooper celebrates amazing news with his family
"Every night, all I hear are the mistakes I make, and that provides a reason to try to get better, and I'm still interested in talking to people and trying to understand how they see things.
"But my first book came out in 2006. It was called Dispatches From the Edge, and it was about war, mixed in with my brother's story and my dad's death. I didn't write again for 10 years."
MORE: Anderson Cooper fawns over two sons, details parenting challenges and adorable 'emergency'
Anderson's mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, was an artist and a descendant of the Vanderbilt family, one of the wealthiest in America. A doting mother to the CNN anchor, she died in 2019 at the age of 95.
© Getty ImagesAnderson added: "I wrote this book with my mom that was about the ripple effects of loss. I didn't plan to write another book, and then my mom died and I was having kids, and that's how [the 2021 book] Vanderbilt came about."
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health and suicidal thoughts, check out the mental health hotline
Get the lowdown on the biggest, hottest celebrity news, features and profiles coming out of the U.S. Sign up to our HELLO! Hollywood newsletter and get them delivered straight to your inbox.
