Inside Kathie Lee Gifford’s Life as a Mom and Grandmother
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- UPDATED JUNE 28, 2025
by Kristine Bowman
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Kathie Lee Gifford has worn many hats—TV host, actress, author, singer, and songwriter—but her most cherished role has been that of a mom and grandmother. She shares two children, Cody and Cassidy, with her late husband, NFL legend Frank Gifford, and now beams with pride over her three grandchildren: Frank Michael, Finn Thomas, and Ford Matthew.
Kathie Lee became a mom for the first time when she gave birth to Cody in March 1990, followed by daughter Cassidy in August 1993. “You can’t even imagine how your life is going to change until it is actually changing right before your eyes,” she told Today in 2016. “If you’re not completely ready to have your entire life totally upended, don’t have a child.”
As her children have grown, her relationship with them has evolved too. “They’re both great human beings who realized that their mama needs them now more than they need me,” she shared in 2017. “When your children ultimately become your dear friends, you know you’ve made a switch in the relationship.”
Although Frank Gifford passed away in 2015, Kathie Lee says he’s still a presence in the family—especially during major life milestones, like their children’s weddings in 2020. “At both weddings, we felt Frank just smiling,” she told. “He had an aerial view, I think.
Cody Newton Gifford, 35
Kathie Lee and Frank’s firstborn, Cody, was born on March 22, 1990. Raised in Connecticut, he later attended the University of Southern California and the University of Oxford before pursuing a career in entertainment. Today, he’s a producer, screenwriter, and founder of Gifford Media Group.
As he’s gotten older, many say Cody looks more and more like his dad. “So many were saying, ‘Gosh, Cody looks just like Frank now,’” Kathie Lee said on Today in 2018. “He really does.”
In 2019, Cody got engaged to his longtime girlfriend, Erika Brown. They married in September 2020 at the Gifford family home in Greenwich, Connecticut. “My son and his wife live there now,” Kathie Lee shared after her move to Tennessee. “And that just makes me so happy.
Cassidy Erin Gifford, 31
Cassidy was born on August 2, 1993, in Greenwich, Connecticut, and followed her mom into the entertainment industry. She’s acted in shows and films such as That’s So Raven, The Suite Life on Deck, God’s Not Dead, and The Baxters. “She’s a very serious acting student,” Kathie Lee told Entertainment Weekly in 2007. “She studied at the Strasberg Institute.”
Cassidy got engaged to Ben Wierda in 2019, with Kathie Lee calling him “a wonderful man.” Cassidy later joked she was “face deep in a quesadilla” when he proposed.
Frank Michael Gifford, 3
Cody and Erika welcomed their first son, Frank Michael, on May 31, 2022. “We have not stopped bursting with so much love and gratitude for God’s most precious gift,” Erika wrote on Instagram. Kathie Lee was overjoyed: “Frank Michael Gifford is here, confirming that our God is good and merciful and faithful.”
Cody and Erika surprised Kathie Lee by naming their son after her late husband. “I was surprised because Cody knew what it was like to grow up in the shadow of a great man,” she said. “But he never got over the loss of his dad, and he never will.
Finn Thomas Wierda, 2
Cassidy and Ben welcomed their son, Finn, on June 24, 2023. “We are so madly in love with you, buddy,” Cassidy wrote in a heartfelt post. Kathie Lee shared a photo holding her grandson soon after: “What a joy to spend sweet time with baby FINN. I am the most blessed of women.
Ford Matthew Gifford, 1
On November 27, 2023, Cody and Erika welcomed their second son, Ford Matthew. “Welcome to the world, sweet sweet son,” Erika wrote. Kathie Lee posted several photos of her newest grandson, writing, “Bubbe already loves you so much, Ford.”
The couple had shared news of the pregnancy earlier that year with a sweet family video. “Gifford, party of 4!” Erika captioned it. Big brother Frankie was already stepping into his role like a pro.
Kathie Lee Gifford on Love and Joy After a Breakup
Although she was in a long-term relationship following Frank’s death, Kathie Lee confirmed in 2024 that she and her “very special” partner had gone their separate ways. Speaking at QVC’s Age of Possibility Summit, she shared: “My new mantra was going to be: my joy is non-negotiable.”
Despite the heartbreak, Kathie Lee remains hopeful and grounded. “When you love someone, you love someone deeply,” she said. “But I’m moving on with joy at the center of it all.
