Oprah Winfrey reveals she named her dead son Canaan during Melbourne talk

July 2024 · 4 minute read

At the tender age of 14 she lost her son after he was born prematurely, and now Oprah Winfrey has revealed that she has chosen a name for her child.

Speaking to 12,000 fans in Melbourne’s Rod Laver arena, the 61-year-old did not hold back as she opened up about her turbulent childhood.

The TV host was raped at age nine by a cousin, then molested by two family members before falling pregnant unexpectedly when she was a young teenager.

According to news.com.au, the talk show titan told those in attendance: ‘I did have a son. And I named him Canaan because Canaan means new land, new life.'

Sharing with her fans: Oprah revealed she has chosen to name the son she lost while giving the first of her Australian talks in Melbourne on Tuesday night

Sharing with her fans: Oprah revealed she has chosen to name the son she lost while giving the first of her Australian talks in Melbourne on Tuesday night

She explained why she had only just chosen a name for her son more than 40 years after he died.

'I did an interview with a reporter before I came to Australia and she said you should name the baby son who died,' she explained, adding: 'So I have named him, I had a little boy named Canaan.'

RELATED ARTICLES

Share this article

Share 205 shares

She told the crowd that the harrowing experience she faced in her youth made her determined to be 'excellent' in her chosen career.

And throughout the talk, Oprah urged her Australian fans, who shelled out between $99 to $379.90 for a ticket, to find their ‘authentic self’ and honour it.

‘I'm here to help you turn up the volume in your life,’ the media mogul told fans during the first stop in her multi-city Australian tour.

Healing: She explained why she had only just chosen a name for her son 

Healing: She explained why she had only just chosen a name for her son 

Healing: She explained why she had only just chosen a name for her son as she said, 'I did an interview with a reporter before I came to Australia and she said you should name the baby son who died' Healing: She explained why she had only just chosen a name for her son as she said, 'I did an interview with a reporter before I came to Australia and she said you should name the baby son who died'

Her life lessons: The talk show titan said her harrowing experiences made her determined to be 'excellent' in everything she chose to do

In the past: Oprah, pictured in 1968, while attending Nicolet High School in Glendale, Wisconsin

In the past: Oprah, pictured in 1968, while attending Nicolet High School in Glendale, Wisconsin

The billionaire added: ‘I have a calling, you have a calling. If you are born, there's a reason for you to be here.’

Oprah, sparkling on stage in a floor length peach dress, spoke of humble beginnings growing up poor in the segregated US state of Mississippi and living until age seven with her grandmother, who had no electricity nor a washing machine.

Touching on her own career epiphanies, from news reporter to talk show host, actor, producer and girl's school founder in South Africa, Oprah urged her followers to be true to themselves by listening to their 'gut'.

'The point of the journey we're all on is "how do you become more of yourself?"'

'Nobody can touch you because you are as authentically you as you can be,' she told audience members. 

Hard times: Speaking to 12,000 fans in Melbourne¿s Rod Laver arena, the 61-year-old did not hold back as she opened up about her turbulent childhood

Hard times: Speaking to 12,000 fans in Melbourne’s Rod Laver arena, the 61-year-old did not hold back as she opened up about her turbulent childhood

Harrowing: Oprah was raped at age nine by a cousin, molested by two other family members before accidentally becoming pregnant as a teen

Harrowing: Oprah was raped at age nine by a cousin, molested by two other family members before accidentally becoming pregnant as a teen

But many women, especially girls, lost this when they began behaving in a way to please the opposite sex, she claimed.

Her role, she said, is to help people discover their purpose and once they realise they are 'co-creating their lives,' they will be able to get closer to the 'life that's literally waiting for you'.

Oprah, estimated by Forbes to be worth $3.2 billion, told fans that her grandmother could never have imagined her success, only wishing for her that one day she would work for some 'good white folks' who might let her take food home.

Oprah joked she regretted her grandmother didn't get to see her surrounded by some good white folks 'working for me'.  

Role model: She told the crowd that the harrowing experience she faced in her youth made her determined to be 'excellent' in her chosen career

Role model: She told the crowd that the harrowing experience she faced in her youth made her determined to be 'excellent' in her chosen career

Humble beginnings: Oprah, pictured aged 16, told the audience of her determination to overcome the obstacles thrown at her in her youth 

Humble beginnings: Oprah, pictured aged 16, told the audience of her determination to overcome the obstacles thrown at her in her youth 

Look at me now: Oprah, estimated by Forbes to be worth $3.2 billion, told fans her grandmother could never have imagined her success

Look at me now: Oprah, estimated by Forbes to be worth $3.2 billion, told fans her grandmother could never have imagined her success

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pa3IpbCmmZmhe6S7ja6iaKymqLWww8GisWiZoqm2pLjEZmpsbGJsg3V7rqmpmqBdp7K3scClqmamkaKypXnDnpidZaOku26PwKeYmqZdqL2mrcqipaBlpKTCs3msnqObp6Wnu6Z6x62kpQ%3D%3D