Always by his side. Kristin Cavallari sent best friend Justin Anderson heaps of love after his emotional adoption story made headlines.
The 40-year-old Very Cavallari alum recently opened up about putting his son up for adoption more than 20 years ago — and defended himself against trolls with a lengthy message on social media.
“To the people from private accounts saying negative things — go kick rocks on the freeway, you’re not welcome here,” Anderson wrote on Wednesday, December 16. “We all have a story and as much as I believe our past doesn’t necessarily define who we are as adults, it definitely plays a role in who we get to be today. I am strong because I have struggled, I am wise because I have made mistakes, I am accepting and full of love because I have experienced otherwise.”
Among some of the supportive comments was one from Cavallari, 33, whose friendship with Anderson blossomed over the years as he served as her hairstylist.
“You are nothing but pure light and love Justin,” the Uncommon James founder commented on Wednesday. “We all are lucky to have a little piece of you.”
The dpHUE cofounder initially shared his adoption journey on the “Scissoring Isn’t a Thing” podcast on Tuesday, December 15, revealing that his high school girlfriend, Debbie, got pregnant when he was 18. The twosome grew up in Mormon households, so “there was no talk of abortion” at the time.
“We met a bunch of different families, and we found the parents we absolutely loved,” Anderson explained of the open adoption process. “We had our son Tyler. I was in the hospital room. I’m 18 years old, by the way, you know. We hand our baby over to this family, and I drive back to college by myself. And then life goes on, right?”
Anderson recently reconnected with his son via social media and was overcome with emotion as he described his meeting with Tyler’s family. “We go to dinner at his family’s house,” he recalled on the podcast. “He has the most beautiful, sweetest, kindest family. They raised him so well. He’s the sweetest guy ever.”
The reality TV personality, who came out to his family as gay before his junior year of college, is now engaged to Austin Rhodes. As they look forward to spending the rest of their lives together, Anderson has high hopes for expanding their family.
“I love kids more than anything, and I really do want to have kids,” he said on the podcast. “My friends call me dad because I love taking care of people, and I love conversation. I would love to raise just the sweetest kids ever—people who listen, and talk, and people who are vulnerable and people feel like they can be whatever they want. I feel like more gay people need to raise kids.”
