Danny Gokey Welcomes Second Child

Congratulations to Danny Gokey and his wife, Leyicet! The happy couple welcomed their second child, Victoria Isabella, on Nov. 28.

Gokey and his wife announced the good news in July. The Gokeys' new arrival joins big brother Daniel Emanuel Gokey, who will turn two next month.

It was a busy Thanksgiving weekend for the former 'American Idol' contestant. He celebrated his third anniversary with Leyicet on Nov. 30, just after Victoria's birth.

"So many wonderful memories including 2 beautiful children packed in these 3 short years," he shares on Facebook. "So blessed to call you my wife, best friend and lover!! Love and appreciate you more than you know. Here's to another 50 more years!!"

Gokey's succession of good news comes on the heels of one of the biggest struggles of his life, when his first wife, Sophia, unexpectedly passed away in 2008. After coming in third on 'Idol' the following year, he secured a record deal on RCA Records, only to be dropped from the roster after releasing two singles.

It was, Gokey admits, almost more than he could handle. But, after he says he contemplated suicide, he decided to channel his grief into something positive, opening the non-profit Sophia's Heart in memory of his late wife.

“If people can look at my life and say, ‘What would have happened if I gave up at that point?’” he says. “There would be no Sophia’s Heart. There would be no impactful music. There would be no hope for changing people’s lives. There would be no (family). I think if people could take that and apply it to themselves, they could see that it’s not time to give up.

"There’s other people’s lives that need your story," Gokey adds, "so keep moving forward.”

The Wisconsin native released 'Hope in Front of Me' earlier this year, along with a book, 'Hope in Front of Me: Find Purpose in Your Darkest Moments.' Both are available for purchase here.