Meet Meredith Vieira's Kids: Benjamin, Gabriel, And Lily Cohen

Family is at the heart of everything for Meredith Vieira. Her three children—Gabriel, Lily, and Benjamin Cohen, whom she shares with her late husband Richard Cohen—are the center of her world. Meredith often reflects on how much joy and fulfillment they bring into her life. There’s nothing she treasures more than being a mom to these incredible kids. If you ask her, she’d tell you she wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Meredith has spoken candidly about how becoming a mother completely changed her perspective on life. “Once I became a mom myself, all I wanted to be was like my own mom,” she once shared with Closer Weekly. “Growing up, I thought, ‘I don’t want to be like my mom. I want to go out there and conquer the world.’ But then, when I had my own kids, I realized how extraordinary my mom was. Her values, her love, and the way she raised me—it’s something I strive to replicate every single day.”

Tragically, Meredith lost her beloved husband Richard on Christmas Eve in 2024 after he battled pneumonia for two months. He passed away surrounded by his family, and his love continues to live on through the legacy he left behind.

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Benjamin Cohen: The Eldest Son

As the oldest of the three siblings, Benjamin Cohen has always been a source of pride for Meredith. When Ben left for college, Meredith admits she didn’t fully realize how much she’d miss him until he was gone. In her journal, she wrote, “I think I’ve been putting my emotions—and the real sense of loss I’ve been feeling—on the back burner. I ask myself, ‘Why am I feeling so anxious?’ And I realize it’s because, despite all my bravado, deep down, I’m just really sad. I don’t show this to Ben, of course. I don’t want him to see that part of me.”

Even though Ben isn’t living at home anymore, he remains close to his mom. During the coronavirus outbreak, when Meredith was quarantining with Richard, Ben stayed in touch via Zoom calls. “We talk every single day,” Meredith told Closer. “It’s become this beautiful routine where we check in with each other, no matter what’s going on.”

Meredith jokes that now that she’s an empty nester, her conversations with her kids have evolved. “I was telling a friend the other day,” she said to Closer Weekly, “Lily will call me or I’ll call her and we’ll say, ‘What’s new?’ And I’ll say, ‘Nothing, what’s new with you?’ And she says, ‘Nothing, OK, bye!’ We don’t do all the small talk anymore, but we still talk every single day. It’s a different kind of connection now, but it’s just as meaningful.”

Gabriel Cohen: The Middle Child

Gabe, the middle child, brought immense joy to the family when he announced his engagement to former KHQ reporter Alli Flicker in April 2019. Meredith couldn’t contain her excitement during an episode of Today with Hoda & Jenna. “A few weeks ago, I was here talking to Hoda, and I told her I had a secret,” Meredith recalled. “I couldn’t tell anyone. It was killing me! But now I can finally share it. My son Gabe got engaged!”

Gabe proposed to Alli by a serene little lake, giving her Meredith’s own engagement ring. “It was such a sweet moment,” Meredith gushed. “He wanted to honor our family’s history while creating his own. Isn’t that just the sweetest thing?”

Lily Cohen: The Honest One

Lily Cohen is known for her honesty and wit, much like her mom. During a memorable episode of The Meredith Vieira Show, Lily gave viewers a behind-the-scenes look at her mom’s kitchen. Holding up several empty salad dressing bottles, she laughed, “We’ve got a bunch of these in here. Why throw them away when you can just keep them in the fridge?”

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Then, Lily moved on to Meredith’s pantry, describing it as looking like a “fraternity house.” But the funniest moment came when she pointed to the stove and joked, “This is the scene of a crime. One time, Mom tried to make us steaks 45 minutes after we already ordered Chinese food. Classic Meredith!”

Meredith told Closer that she loves how smart and independent Lily is. “She’s always been a bright kid, and she surrounds herself with great friends,” Meredith said proudly. “I see so much of myself in her, and I couldn’t be prouder.”