Guy Fieri’s Generous Heart Extends to the Specific Families He Invites to Every Taping of ‘Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives’
Guy Fieri is one of those celebrities who the internet loves to hate. The Food Network star has served as a punchline for many, with people ridiculing his approach to culinary arts. Over the years, Fieri has also drawn a lot of attention for his distinctive look and bold recipes.
However, taking a step back from the superficial observations reveals a kind-hearted man whose generosity extends to the families he invites to every taping of Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, showing a side of him most people don’t know about.
Guy Fieri’s late sister impacted his life greatly
Fieri’s charm as a public figure doesn’t only come from his A-list status but also his relationship with his family. The 54-year-old is known to be extremely close to his wife and two sons, Ryder and Hunter, often involving them in his shows. Fieri and his wife of over 26 years, Lori, frequently work together in their business ventures.
The Food Network star was also very close with his sister Morgan who was diagnosed with cancer at a young age. Morgan battled the disease throughout her life. Unfortunately, she lost the fight at age 39 following complications from metastatic melanoma.
Fieri’s experience with Morgan’s illness and death changed his outlook on life. He once revealed that his sister was why he dedicates a lot of his time to childhood cancer organizations such as the Make-a-Wish foundation.
Fieri invites Make-a-Wish participants and their families to Food Network tapings
Morgan’s illness made Fieri want to help other families facing the same issue. Instead of letting his grief consume him, the Ohio native used it to pay special tribute to his sister, knowing she would’ve loved it.
As Delish reports, Fieri takes it upon himself to invite the Make-a-Wish foundation families to all of his tapings for the Food Network. The celebrated chef prefers to bring the whole family and not just the kid battling cancer so that the Make-a-Wish kid doesn’t feel singled out.
Fieri said, “I know what the family is going through, to some degree. I know that heartache, and I see that, and if there’s anything I can do to help enlighten or empower those kids, I want to do it.”
His work with the foundation earned him the Chris Greicius Award, which was named after a 7-year-old boy diagnosed with leukemia who inspired the founding of Make-A-Wish in 1980. Speaking about the award, Fieri said, “It’s the greatest award I’ve ever received. It’s hanging right in my dining room at my ranch.”
Other ways Guy Fieri pays tribute to his sister
In 2015, shortly after his sister’s passing, the Food Network star officiated 101 gay weddings in her honor. The mass wedding was organized by Art Smith and was a tribute to Morgan, who was a lesbian.
USA Today notes that Fieri and Smith opted to go with No. 101 to draw parallels between Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi who was famously against gay marriage and Disney villain Cruella de Vil. The famed chef wore a bright purple tuxedo for the ceremony and invited several of his celebrity friends.
Fieri also has a tattoo on his left arm to honor his sister. The star sourced inspiration from Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus. The tattoo of the woman contains the words “Namaste” at the top and “Morgan” at her feet. Fieri explained that Morgan always said “Namaste,” but he never got its meaning until her passing.
Another way of honoring Morgan is through her favorite dish. Fieri makes her favorite dish, fire-roasted vegetable lasagna, during family gatherings and included it in his cookbook, Guy Fieri Family Food.
