Legendary supermodel and entrepreneur Tyra Banks shared the first photo of her son York Banks Asla. She said it was the best Valentine’s Day of her life.
Meet York Banks Asla
Banks and her boyfriend, Norwegian photographer Erik Asla, had their son via surrogate. She announced his delivery two weeks ago on her Instagram account.
“The best present we worked and prayed so hard for is finally here,” she said. “He’s got my fingers and big eyes and his daddy Erik’s mouth and chin.”
She made sure to acknowledge her surrogate:
“As we thank the angel of a woman that carried our miracle baby boy for us, we pray for everyone who struggles to reach this joyous milestone. York Banks Asla, welcome to the world.”
Of course, the model had to make sure the first photo she shared was fierce.
She struggled with fertility problems for years
Banks had been wanting kids for a long time now. Last year, she opened up about her struggles on her syndicated talk show FABLife.
“When I turned 40, the one thing I was not happy about is that I did not have kids,” she said. “I’m like, ‘Damn, the clock is ticking!”
Even though she wanted to have children, she kept putting it off.
“Since I was 24, I used to say every year, ‘I will have kids in three years. I kept saying it over and over again.”
By the time she was ready, it was much harder to conceive. She underwent painful IVF treatments.
“I’ve had some not happy moments with that, very traumatic moments. It’s difficult as you get older. It’s not something that can just happen,” she shared while battling tears. “And, you know, putting needles in your tummy every day and having to come to work and smile when you feel like you want to throw up and lay down…”
It was especially challenging as a public figure with fans wondering why she did not have children yet:
“I am so tired of seeing on my social media, ‘Why don’t you have kids? Why don’t you have kids?’ You don’t know. You don’t know what I’m going through.”
The light at the end of the tunnel
After so many years of dealing with those issues, Banks could not be happier.
“We are so excited for our new baby boy bundle of joy. The journey to now has not been an easy process, as I’ve shared before. But there was a beautiful bright light at the end of the tunnel for me and his father, Erik,” she told People magazine.
“As I gaze into the beautiful eyes of my son, I think about all the people who struggle with fertility or carrying a child and continue to pray for them every day. My hopes and dreams are filled with well wishes that they get to feel what my little treasure, York Banks Asla, feels like in my arms.”
SEE ALSO: Tyra Banks Posted A Fresh-Faced Selfie. See How She Really Looks Like.
