Gloria Vanderbilt with her sons | Gloria Vandebilt and Anderson Cooper | Source: Getty Images
Christopher Stokowski cut himself off from his family for 40 years and lived solitary. During the sunset days of his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, he finally reconnected with his estranged family and managed to stay in contact with them.
Christopher Stokowski is the son of fashion designer and socialite Vanderbilt and Leopold Stokowski. He is also a half-brother to broadcast journalist and political commentator Anderson Hays Cooper.
Very little is known about Christopher because he secluded himself from his family, but that was by his choice. Despite his family being famous, Christopher has lived a solitary life away from the public spotlight for many decades.
Christopher Stokowski Was Mom’s Best Friend before Cutting Himself off from Family
Christopher distanced himself from his famous family after his mother’s therapist interfered with his love life. For over four decades, he’s lived as a recluse away from his family. According to Christopher’s ex-fiancée, April Sandmeyer, Christopher and his mom were once close.
Sandemeyer stated that Christopher and his mom were like best friends and his family was loving. But then, after the incident with his mother’s therapist, Christopher stopped communicating with his mother.
In Christopher’s mom and half-brother’s HBO documentary “Nothing Left Unsaid,” he was never mentioned, even though his older brother, Leopold Stanislaus Stokowski, also known as Stan, was part of the film. Sandmeyer revealed that Christopher’s mom didn’t mention him out of love because she valued his privacy.
Christopher Stokowski Rebuilt His Bond with Family after Leaving His Brother Devastated
Before Christopher drifted away from his family, he had a special bond with his half-brother Anderson who adored him, despite their 15-year age difference. Christopher’s disappearance left Anderson, who was ten at the time, devastated.
According to Vanderbilt’s will, her eldest son Stan only inherited her Midtown residence in a co-op at 30 Beekman Place.
During that time, Anderson’s father, Wyatt Cooper, died while undergoing heart surgery. So, Anderson needed a shoulder to lean on, but his older one wasn’t there at the time.
Fortunately, after the documentary “Nothing Left Unsaid” aired, Christopher reached out to his family through his former fiancée and finally reunited after 40 years of missing in action.
According to Christopher’s uncle Harry Cooper, Christopher reunited with his mother and siblings on more than one occasion since the documentary’s release. Anderson confirmed that he had reunited and reconnected with his brother but didn’t reveal further details. Speaking to Page Six, Anderson said:
Christopher Stokowski’s Brothers Received Mom’s Estate despite Her Promise to Leave Them All Nothing
Christopher’s mom passed away in 2019 at 95 following her battle with advanced stomach cancer. His mother once said there would be no inheritance for his children, but that was later proved untrue as her will indicated otherwise.
The CNN host, Anderson Cooper, received almost everything, while their oldest brother, Stan, received something. But Christopher was left out of his mom’s will and got nothing. The will document, filed in Manhattan shortly after Gloria Vanderbilt’s death, indicated that her property was to be inherited by two of her sons.
According to Vanderbilt’s will, her eldest son Stan only inherited her Midtown residence in a co-op at 30 Beekman Place. Still, the rest of her property was left to her youngest son Anderson Cooper although it wasn’t revealed exactly how much he received.
But at the time, Christopher’s mother’s fortune had been valued at $200 million. In 2014, during a radio interview with Howard Stern, Anderson said he never expected to inherit his mother’s fortune because she had told him that she didn’t plan to leave anything for him.
Even though Christopher Stokowski and his mother reconciled during her later days, it’s still unclear why he didn’t get any of her inheritance.