Frances Bean Cobain, the daughter of the late Kurt Cobain and ex Courtney Love, and Riley Hawk, the oldest son of Tony Hawk, have recently become parents. Frances, the only child of the iconic rock star Kurt Cobain and musician Courtney Love, welcomed her first child, a baby boy, with her husband Riley Hawk. Riley is the eldest son of the legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk. On September 28, Frances, 32, took to Instagram to announce the birth of their son, Ronin Walker Cobain Hawk, born on September 17, 2024. She posted photos of the newborn and Riley holding their baby, captioning it, “Welcome to the world, most beautiful son. We love you more than anything.”
Tony, now a first-time grandfather, joined in the celebration by commenting, “My favorite grandson!” He also shared Riley’s identical birth announcement, initially posted on Riley’s Instagram page. Michael Stipe, the frontman of R.E.M. and Frances’ godfather, wrote, “With all the love and energy in the whole world.” Frances received warm congratulatory messages from many friends, including Harper Grohl (daughter of Dave Grohl, Kurt Cobain’s friend, and Nirvana bandmate), Zelda Williams (daughter of the late actor Robin Williams), Tallulah Willis (daughter of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore), and Nick Simmons (son of KISS rocker Gene Simmons), who wrote, “Love you, Fran, and very happy for you. The prophecy is fulfilled.”
Frances, a model and visual artist, and Riley, a professional skateboarder like his father and also a musician, welcomed their first child almost a year after getting married in Southern California. Michael Stipe officiated their wedding ceremony. The couple began their relationship in 2021 and went public with it on Instagram the following year.
Frances was only 19 months old when her father passed away at age 27 in 1994. On the 30th anniversary of his death this past April, she posted a tribute to Kurt, including childhood photos of the two together. “The 2nd & 3rd photo capture the last time we were together while he was still alive,” she wrote on Instagram. She recalled how Kurt’s mother would press Frances’ hands to her own cheeks and say they resembled Kurt’s, trying to hold him just a little bit closer, frozen in time. Frances expressed hope that Kurt’s mother Wendy is holding his hands wherever they may be.
Reflecting on her lifelong grief, Frances shared that it has taught her an important lesson: “The duality of life & death, pain & joy, yin & yang, need to exist alongside each other or none of this would have any meaning.” She lamented not knowing her father better, wondering about his voice, his preferences, and how it felt to be with him. Yet, she acknowledged the profound wisdom gained from understanding the preciousness of life through her loss. Frances concluded, “He gifted me a lesson in death that can only come through the lived experience of losing someone. It’s the gift of knowing that the more we love ourselves and those around us with compassion, openness, and grace, the more meaningful our time here.”