VIDEO: Richard Gere praised his father's parenting skills and decided to honor him by naming his son after his "extraordinary" 100-year-old father…
Nov 14, 2022 Inspiring, Life
Because of the morals and principles that Richard Gere's father instilled in him when he was a child, Richard Gere and his father have always shared a special bond.
After all, Richard was one of the most famous heartthrobs in Hollywood during the 1980s and 1990s, so it's not surprising that he has a reputation for being charming. Richard was born on the 31st of August, 1949 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; however, he spent his childhood in Syracuse, New York. According to an interview that Richard gave in 2002 to the program "Inside the Actor's Studio," Richard's father, Homer George Gere, was an insurance agent, and Richard's mother, Doris Ann Gere, was a housewife. Richard Gere was born in 1939.
According to the John and Elinor Billington and William and Mary Brewster lines of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants, Richard is a descendant of pilgrims who traveled to New England on the Mayflower.
Even Richard's parents, Homer and Doris, were deemed to be "extraordinary" people by their son Richard. In 2007, he said in an interview with the Independent that his parents are "wonderful people."
The actor stated that his parents always found a way to provide him and his siblings with the best things in life despite the fact that they did not have sufficient funds.
"They gave me, my four brothers and sisters, and me enormous opportunities in terms of education, in terms of music, and in terms of anything we had an inclination towards somehow they found a way to make that happen," he said. "They gave me enormous opportunities in terms of education, in terms of music, and in terms of anything we had an inclination towards."
He continued, saying, "They located the instructors." We did not grow up with a lot of money, and the extraordinary amount of scrounging that was required in order to get an education and have access to music teachers was a result of this."
The fact that Richard's father is a volunteer for Meals on Wheels has always been a source of pride for Richard. The recipient of the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor has even participated in multiple campaigns for Meals on Wheels over the course of his career to encourage others to become volunteers as well. Back in 2018, he even went so far as to help his father deliver lunch.
When his neighbors needed his assistance, he was there for them. Richard stated in a video that was shared by Meals on Wheels in 2018 that "now at the age of 84, he's still there." In the same year, Richard and his father Homer sat down together and had a conversation about the origins of Meals On Wheels as well as the influence that the organization has had, not only in their own lives but also in the lives of others. Richard and his father Homer went on a trip down memory lane.
"I remember dad. This car was given to you and your mother with a hatchback. I told you, "You know, I'd be happy to give you the money to get a really great car," and you responded, "Well, no, this works for me." I was surprised to hear that response. (I said) why? Richard recalled this in another video that was distributed by the organization. "Because it's the perfect height to put the meals in," Richard said.
Richard wanted to know when his father had first thought about applying for the Meals on Wheels program. Homer said, "There was a home that seemed to have been abandoned." That was the point at which we began the Meals on Wheels program. As people's needs changed as they aged, so did our dedication to meeting those needs."
The actor who had previously won an award went on to explain that his father was inspired to follow his passion for assisting others in need of food by the interaction he had with other people. On the other hand, what his father had to say was:
"When you can see somebody else benefitting from your life in some way, I don't think you can help but feel good about it. I think that's just the way it is.""
Richard's father instilled in him the value of helping others at an early age, even when Richard was still quite young. "He's one of those people that his entire life… whenever someone else was suffering he was there to some degree," Richard said in an interview with Page Six in 2019. "He's one of those people that his entire life," According to Richard, his father made it a point to go out of his way to assist others whenever he could, regardless of whether or not he had any money on him at the time.
According to what Richard shared, "If he didn't have money, it was a smile or an embrace or whatever he had to help out, and that was around me the entire time I was growing up."
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, Richard and Homer discussed how Meals on Wheels had embarked on a mission to assist those who were in need of assistance.
"COVID-19 has caused many elderly people to be isolated, and they require our assistance. Over the course of more than 25 years, my father was actively involved in the meals on wheels program," said Richard. "It gave me a sense of belonging in this community."
Richard made it a point to commemorate his father's milestone birthday in 2022, when Homer turned 100 years old, by taking him out to lunch at a restaurant called Pastabilities, which was located in his father's hometown of North Syracuse.
Pastabilities wrote in an Instagram post that Richard Gere celebrated his father Homer Gere's 100th birthday at Pasta's tonight. "Richard Gere came in to Pasta's tonight to celebrate his father's 100th birthday,"
Homer has volunteered his time for a variety of organizations in the past, including Meals on Wheels and the fire department in his hometown. After the passing of Richard's mother Doris in 2016, the actor has made it a point to pay regular visits to North Syracuse in order to check in with his father on a regular basis.
Richard immortalized his love for his father by naming his only child with his ex-partner Carey Lowell Homer James Jigme Gere. As if his love for his father wasn't obvious enough in his affirmations in various interviews, Richard chose to name his only child after his father. Homer and James are both Richard and Lowell's fathers, and the name Jigme means "fearless" in Tibetan. Richard and Lowell named their son after both of their fathers. Both are interested in the philosophy that is espoused by the Dalai Lama, who is the spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism.
Now, Richard maintains his role as a caring and supportive parent to all three of his children, including the two that he shares with his current wife, Alejandra Silva. In point of fact, he got it from his father!
VIDEO: Demi Moore celebrates her historic 60th birthday by singing and dancing on an airplane with her dog…
VIDEO: Judge Judy claims that she "scared" Justin Bieber, an ex-neighbor who left after being charged with DUI….