Kelly Ripa Gets Emotional As She Celebrates Son’s Birthday Amid Protests

Kelly Ripa got visibly emotional during an episode of Live with Kelly and Ryan this week. She opened up about celebrating her eldest son Michael Consuelos’s 23rd birthday amid the continuing protests following the death of George Floyd across the U.S. and in a number of other cities around the globe.

The star — who’s been filming remotely from the Caribbean due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic — had tears in her eyes as she spoke to co-host Ryan Seacrest on the June 2 episode of the ABC morning show. She recalled how she recently came across a picture of her and husband Mark Consuelos’s eldest child when he was only 1 year old.

She shared how the photo made her feel extra emotional as it made her think about all the parents affected by racial injustice who aren’t able to celebrate their children’s birthdays with them.

“I found this photo while going through old stuff,” Kelly said, per Entertainment Tonight Canada, as she held up a large version of the photograph.

The picture showed Michael as a baby popping out of a blue and white box with the words “I’m 1” on the front.

“As I was looking at this photo, I became so overwhelmed because I think of how many mothers don’t get to celebrate their kid’s birthdays,” she said.

Kelly, who’s also mom to 18-year-old daughter Lola and 17-year-old son Joaquin, then apologized as her eyes welled up with tears.

“I’m so sorry. I just pray that there is peace and empathy in our nation,” Kelly told Ryan. “We are a nation suffering and we are a nation in trouble. We really are in trouble.”

The 49-year-old star then encouraged Live with Kelly and Ryan viewers to pray, even if they aren’t religious.

“I think that something happens that when you pray, it opens your heart, it opens your mind. It helps you to hear people and to feel people and to empathize with people,” she explained.

Kelly’s heartfelt message came shortly after she and husband Mark celebrated Michael’s graduation from NYU together.

As the now 23-year-old’s big graduation ceremony was canceled due to the virus, the family threw their own ceremony for Michael and shared sweet photos to Instagram to show how proud they were of their firstborn.

The former All My Children star has also used social media to be very vocal about injustice over the past few days. Kelly has shared important messages as well as photos of those who have been the victims of racial discrimination.