Ray Romano is officially entering his grandpa era, and the update came straight from his daughter. Ally Romano shared the news on Instagram about a month after giving birth, revealing she and husband Zachary Wilezol welcomed their first child, a baby boy named Rex Roman Wilezol.
“One month with my guy, Rex Roman Wilezol,” she wrote, introducing her son to the world. Ally added that he “begrudgingly” arrived on Feb. 25, describing him as having “very long legs, massive hands, a full head of hair and the most perfect lips.” She also opened up about the early days of motherhood, sharing that while things did not go exactly as planned, her son has already changed everything. “Our strong, very big boy has shown us a new meaning to love… He’s given us a run for our money, but he’s my new bestie and a trooper!” she wrote.
The baby marks the first grandchild for the “Everybody Loves Raymond” star, making this a major new chapter for the beloved sitcom actor.
Ray Romano’s Long-Awaited Grandpa Moment
Romano has been open about how excited he was to become a grandfather long before baby Rex arrived. Back in November 2025, he shared with People that he and his wife Anna were looking forward to welcoming their first grandchild, even joking that he had been encouraging his kids to move things along.
“It’s our first one,” he said at the time, adding with a laugh, “I told them both… I wasn’t avoiding trying to be a grandpa, I was telling them to speed it up because we’re not getting any younger and I want to be able to lift them.”
He also spoke about what he expects grandparenthood to be like, keeping things light and humorous. “I only hear great things about it… I think this is probably going to be the same joy without the same kind of being tired and not being able to do anything else,” he said. During the same conversation, he agreed with the idea that being a grandparent comes with perks, adding, “We can give ’em back as soon as we’re tired.”
‘Papa Ray’ and a New Chapter for the Family
Ahead of the baby’s arrival, Romano had already picked out his potential grandpa name. In a February appearance on “Today,” he shared that he is leaning toward “Papa Ray,” inspired by his own father, though he noted it could evolve depending on what the baby ends up saying.
He also described becoming a grandparent as something he had heard was “the best thing in the world,” joking that it comes with all the fun of parenting without the same level of responsibility.
Ally and her husband, who tied the knot in September 2024 at the New York Public Library, are now settling into life as new parents. With baby Rex officially here, the Romano family is celebrating a new generation and embracing the moment.
As Ally put it, her son has already “shown us a new meaning to love.”
