Kelly Ripa is incredibly close to her family, and delighted fans over the weekend by sharing a glimpse into her private life away from work.
The Live star celebrated her beloved dad Joe’s birthday on July 4, and shared a series of pictures to mark the special occasion. In a montage posted on Instagram, Kelly shared several snapshots, including a group picture featuring her beloved nieces and nephew – the children of her sister, Linda Ripa.
Linda is a doting mom to children Sergio, Gigli and Gianna. The author previously spoke to The New York Times about being a mom, telling them back in 2002: “Though I had a career, I had always wanted, from when I was a girl, to be a mommy. Everyone would tell you that.”
Kelly is very close to her nieces and nephew and has paid tribute to Sergio, a musician, on social media several times and has attended his band’s performances.
Linda – who prefers to stay out of the limelight – suffered serious injuries in a car accident back in 1999, when she was seven months pregnant with her son. A drunk driver crashed into her at a traffic light in Philadelphia, and she was left with several broken bones.
© InstagramSergio went into a coma in utero and his mum refused anaesthetic for leg surgery for fear she’d damage her unborn child.
Sergio was born seven weeks early and the road to recovery for them both was long. In 2002, Linda told New York Times: “We don’t know how it happened, but it did, and of course we call him Miracle Baby.”
© Variety via Getty Images1. Psychic pregnancy
During her early days on Live, Kelly’s pregnancy was supposed to be a secret. However, when psychic Char Margolis appeared on the daytime talk show, she revealed on air that Kelly was expecting after predicting a “new baby” was on the way.
2. Business partners
Kelly and her husband, Mark Consuelous, own their own production company together called Milojo, which is a combination of their children’s names – Michael, Lola and Joaquin.
3. Musical star
Kelly’s manager discovered her and encouraged her to pursue acting after seeing her perform in her senior high school play, The Ugly Duckling.
4. Three tattoos
Kelly has three tattoos: one on the side of her ankle, another of her husband’s last name on her wrist, and a third design which remains a mystery.
5. En pointe
Kelly holds the Guinness World Record for being part of a group of 305 dancers who performed en pointe simultaneously. She set the record live on Kelly and Ryan in 2019 in New York City.
She added: “I don’t suspect I will be without pain the rest of my life. But when I look at my son, I know I won’t give up.”
Kelly and Linda were raised in New Jersey by their dad Joe and mom Esther. The star was the first in her family to go into acting and was passionate about the performing arts from an early age, having studied ballet as a toddler, and taking part in drama productions at school.
The actress got her big break in All My Children, where she met her now-husband, Mark Consuelos.
The celebrity couple have been married since May 1996 when they eloped together. Eldest son Michael was born in June the following year, followed by Lola in June 2001. Joaquin arrived to complete their family in February 2003.
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