Ryder (L) and Guy Fieri in February 2023.Photo:Juan OCampo/NBAE via Getty
Juan OCampo/NBAE via Getty
Guy Fierimarked a major milestone in his family: his son Ryder is officially now an adult.
In a Sunday New Year’s EveInstagram post, the Food Network star, 55, shared a poignant video clip of himself with the caption: “Happy 18th birthday @ryderfieri.”
“A special day up here at the ranch—Ryder’s birthday,” Fieri says into the camera. “And I’ll tell you what, son: I couldn’t be more proud of you. You’re an amazing person. You are your own man, you’re an individual. Great athlete, great student, great friend, great son.
After a brief yet touching pause, Fieri continues: “You make me so proud. Happy 18th birthday.”
Turning 18 wasn’t the only life achievement that Ryder celebrated in 2023: this past spring, he posted photos on Instagramfrom his junior prom that included his girlfriendand featured him wearing a red bow tie and black suit to match her dress. The pics also showed him with his friends as well as his parents.
“Out of the ordinary,” Ryder captioned the post.
And last January,Fieri gave Ryder a new car for his then-17th birthday—a truck that was a reward for Ryder driving his grandparents' minivan for “one year with no tickets, no accidents” after he received his driver’s license the year before. “He lost it. I’ve never seen him happier about a gift he was getting,” Fieri once told PEOPLE. “I mean, what is the gift? The gift is, ‘Hey, you have to pay half the money we’ll pay the other half.’ But he was really excited.”
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Ryder is the youngest of Fieri and wife Lori’s two sons,the other being Hunter, 27. In a 2019 PEOPLE interview, Fieri said he drew from his own upbringing when it comes to raising his kids. “My parents never put a boundary in front of me saying, ‘You can’t do that.’ I’ve always lived in the realm of ‘You can do anything you want if you put your mind to it.’ "
Despite being one of the most popular celebrity chefs, Fieri maintained that his family is no different than any other family. “I’m so proud of all that these kids get to experience but also at how grounded they’ve stayed,” he said. “I think that has a lot to do with who I am and who my wife is. We came from very, very close-knit families.”
“Our perfect nights are really barbecuing in the backyard and the kids swimming in the pool … We just hunker down at home,” added Lori. That’s [Guy’s] happy place.”
Guy (R) and Ryder Fierie in 2023.Tim Nwachukwu/Getty
Tim Nwachukwu/Getty
Both father and son also share a bond for sports, especially over the NBA team Golden State Warriors. In May 2022, when the Warriors made it to the playoffs, Fierishared two photos on Instagram of him and Ryder rooting for the team. In the first pic, Fieri poses with a very young Ryder on the team’s court. In the second snap, they’re in the same spot but this time Ryder has grown older and is nearly as tall as his dad.
“This is how long Steph [Curry] and the Warriors have been goin' to the #NBAfinals! 😂 #tbt” Fieri captioned the photos.
source: people.com
