For millions of viewers, Candace Cameron Bure will forever be remembered as D.J. Tanner, the eldest daughter growing up inside the famously crowded Tanner household on Full House. But decades after audiences watched her character navigate childhood and adolescence, Bure has entered a completely different chapter of her real life.
At 50, she is officially a grandmother for the first time.
Her son, Lev Bure, and his wife, Elliott, welcomed their first child, Bond Leo Bure, on August 4, 2026. Yet the joyful announcement carried with it a story the family had quietly lived through for nearly two months. Bond arrived approximately 10 weeks premature, weighing exactly 3 pounds, and was immediately transferred to the neonatal intensive care unit. Parents
An Arrival Far Earlier Than Expected
What should have been the final weeks of Elliott’s pregnancy suddenly became weeks spent beside a hospital incubator.
Bond’s parents did not publicly announce his birth immediately. Instead, they concentrated on their tiny newborn as he remained in the NICU. Elliott later described a period filled with tears, prayers and seemingly endless hours in the hospital.
After five weeks and five days, the moment the family had been waiting for finally arrived: Bond was able to go home. Us
When Lev and Elliott eventually shared the news publicly on September 27, they introduced their son and described him as their “miracle boy.” They also thanked the doctors and nurses who had cared for him during those first vulnerable weeks. EW.com
The photographs accompanying the family’s announcement offered intimate glimpses of that journey—from Bond’s earliest days in the NICU to the enormous relief of finally having him home.
Candace’s Reaction Was Pure Emotion
For Candace, becoming a grandmother was something she had been anticipating long before Bond arrived.
After her grandson’s birth became public, she shared more photographs from his NICU stay and reflected on how unexpectedly powerful the experience of becoming a grandmother had been.
She wrote that she had not realized how profound her love for a grandchild would feel, describing it as a kind of love she had never experienced before. She also praised Lev and Elliott for the care they gave their son throughout his hospitalization. Parade
It was an especially emotional milestone because Candace had spoken openly earlier in the year about how much she wanted this chapter of her life.
She had even chosen her grandmother nickname before the baby arrived: “Candy Gram.” NBC Los Angeles
The playful name suits someone whose public identity has been intertwined with family for most of her life. Candace grew up in front of television audiences, later raised three children of her own, and is now watching those children build families themselves.
The Story Behind Baby Bond’s Unusual Name
Then there is the detail that immediately caught people’s attention: Bond Leo Bure.
Bond is certainly less common than many traditional baby names, which helped make the announcement stand out online. The family revealed his full name when announcing his birth, though the reports surrounding the announcement did not establish a detailed explanation from Lev and Elliott about precisely why they chose “Bond.” Parents
So while people may speculate about its inspiration, the confirmed story is much simpler: Bond Leo is the name Lev and Elliott chose for the little boy whose arrival transformed their family.
And after everything surrounding his first weeks, the conversation about his name is arguably only a small part of his story.
From Full House Daughter to Grandmother
There is something particularly striking about the milestone for longtime Full House viewers.
Bure was only a child when she began portraying D.J. Tanner on the sitcom, which premiered in 1987. Audiences watched D.J. grow up alongside younger sisters Stephanie and Michelle, while the unconventional Tanner household became one of television’s best-known fictional families.
Away from television, Candace created a family of her own.
She married former professional hockey player Valeri Bure in 1996, and together they raised three children: Natasha, Lev and Maksim. NBC Los Angeles
Now Lev is a father himself.
The progression makes some of those old family photographs feel very different. Images that once showed Candace as a young mother surrounded by small children now document the earliest years of people who are beginning to have children of their own.
And Bond Won’t Be the Only Grandchild for Long
The family’s next chapter is arriving remarkably quickly.
Candace’s eldest child, Natasha Bure, is also expecting her first baby with husband Bradley Steven Perry. Natasha announced her pregnancy in May 2026, meaning Candace is going from having no grandchildren to potentially having two within a relatively short period. NBC Los Angeles
Candace had already described herself as “over the moon” about the family’s expansion and talked about imagining the ordinary moments she hopes to share with her grandchildren—walks, cuddles, ice cream and family adventures. ¡HOLA!
Those simple plans feel particularly meaningful after Bond’s difficult beginning.
A Tiny Boy Who Changed an Entire Family
The headline may be that Candace Cameron Bure became a grandmother at 50. The unusual name may be what initially makes people curious. But behind both is a much more personal story.
Bond Leo entered the world far earlier than expected. At only three pounds, his first home was a NICU rather than the nursery his parents had prepared for him. His mother and father spent nearly six weeks waiting for the day when they could finally carry him through their own front door.
Now, according to Candace, Bond is thriving and home with his family. Parade
For the actress who once became famous playing a daughter in one of television’s most recognizable families, life has quietly come full circle.
She is a mother watching her son become a father.
She is preparing to welcome another grandchild through her daughter.
And most importantly, after an unexpectedly frightening beginning, she finally gets to simply be Candy Gram to little Bond Leo.
