Anderson Cooper

You said, I spent 35 years trying to hide that story to honor my dad.

But something that I've also realized is that sometimes keeping a secret doesn't honor anyone, and it's taken me a long time to figure that out.

There's so many people who have these secrets.

You had all those thoughts?

Disciplined curiosity.

I haven't heard that.

I do think, though, that moment when you can look at your parent or whomever it is with empathy because she... You know, it's so easy to look at things parents do with anger, but when you realize, like...

She didn't know how to be a parent.

She didn't have a parent.

And she's doing really the best she can.

Yeah, my mom, she didn't need my anger.

She needed my help.

And I have tremendous empathy for her and always have.

And I'm glad I saw that.

For me, it helps with the grief.

The grief I feel over my mom's death, it's very much impacted by the empathy that I had for her for a long time.

But I love that you came to know your mom.

I love that.

I know her too.

Is there something you've learned in your grief that would be helpful for others?