“Great athlete, great student, great friend,” the Food Network star said of her youngest son Ryder in an Instagram post
Guy Fieri marked a big milestone in his family: his son Ryder is now officially an adult.
In a New Year’s Day Instagram post on Sunday, the Food Network star, 55, shared a touching video clip of herself with the caption: “Happy 18th birthday @ryderfieri.”
“Special day here at the ranch—Ryder’s birthday,” Fieri tells the camera. “And I’ll tell you something, son: I couldn’t be more proud of you. You are an amazing person. You are your own man, you are an individual. Great athlete, great student, great friend, great son.
After a brief but touching pause, Fieri continues, “You make me so proud. Happy 18th birthday.”
Turning 18 wasn’t the only life achievement Ryder celebrated in 2023: Last spring, he posted photos on Instagram from his prom night with his girlfriend, wearing a red bowtie and black suit to match her dress. The pictures also show him with his friends as well as his parents.
“Unusual,” Ryder captioned the post.
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And last January, Fieri gave Ryder a new car for what was then his 17th birthday — a pickup truck that was a reward for Ryder driving his grandparents’ minivan “one year ticket-free, accident-free” after getting his driver’s license the year before . “He lost it. I’ve never seen him happier for the gift he got,” Fieri once told PEOPLE. “I mean, what’s a gift? A gift is, ‘Hey, you have to pay half the money and 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 interview with PEOPLE, Fieri said he relied on his own upbringing when it came to raising his children. “My parents never put a line in front of me saying, ‘You can’t do that.’ I’ve always lived in the realm of ‘You can do whatever you want if you put your mind to it.'”
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Despite being one of the most popular celebrity chefs, Fieri claims his family is no different than any other family. “I’m so proud of everything these kids have been through, but also how strong they’ve stayed,” he said. “I think it has a lot to do with who I am and who my wife is. We come from very, very close families.”
“Our perfect nights are really backyard barbecues and the kids swimming in the pool… We just sit at home,” Lori added. It is [Guy’s] happy place.”
Guy (right) and Ryder Fierie 2023.
Team Nwachukwu/Getty
Both father and son also share an affinity for sports, especially around the Golden State Warriors NBA team. In May 2022, when the Warriors reached the playoffs, Fieri shared two photos on Instagram of him and Ryder cheering for the team. In the first picture, Fieri poses with a very young Ryder on the team court. In the second shot, they are in the same place, but this time Ryder has aged and is almost as tall as his dad.
“So long Steph [Curry] and the Warriors were going to the #NBAfinal! 😂 #tbt” Fieri captioned the photos.
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Both Ryder and Hunter have participated in their famous father’s charitable endeavors. Last May, the trio served over 500 meals at a Special Olympics event in Northern California. “He always leads by example,” Hunter said of his father in a 2022 PEOPLE story. “Seeing how much he cares and how, even though he’s full-time, he puts a lot of effort into fundraising … it’s an eye-opener.”
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Source: HIS Education