2020 was a big year for Rob Kardashian.
Despite being notoriously private and often camera-shy for much of the past decade, this year, the 33-year-old slowly but surely made his way back into the spotlight. Over the course of 2020, Rob made strides to regain his confidence, returned to both Keeping Up With the Kardashians and social media, made healthy changes, and most importantly, grew in his role as a devoted father to 4-year-old daughter Dream Kardashian.
Fans have been thrilled to see more of Rob this past year, but it's his family members that are especially over the moon about all of his personal growth. The Arthur George founder has a particularly strong bond with his sister Khloe Kardashian, and her 36th birthday party was actually the catalyst for his reappearance on Instagram.
"Him and I have always been so incredibly close," Khloe told E!'s Justin Sylvester on Daily Pop in July. "He's at things a lot, we just always respect his privacy. And he just, I don't know, was feeling himself as he should at my birthday. He was fine with us posting a flick of him."
The Good American mogul continued, "He's so handsome, he's such a good person and I just love him. And I love that he's getting a positive response because it's just gassing him up more. It makes him feel really good and confident. That's all I want for my brother, is to feel good about himself."
Khloe's not the only member of the Kardashian-Jenner family that's publicly praised Rob this year. The siblings' mom, Kris Jenner, regularly commends his parenting skills—and one look at his Instagram, which is filled with photos and videos of Dream, should tell you why. He's never not gushing about his daughter, whether it's Thanksgiving and he's expressing his gratitude as a father, or they're just hanging out together.
With all that in mind, it's safe to say we can't wait to see what 2021 holds for Rob. In the meantime, we're taking a look back at his incredible year. Scroll through the below gallery to get an inside look at Rob's transformative 2020!
Make sure you're caught up with past seasons of Keeping Up With the Kardashians, too. The E! reality series is streaming on Peacock.
2020 was a year of personal growth for Rob Kardashian, but at the same time, he definitely blossomed in his role as a father to 4-year-old Dream Kardashian. The doting dad is constantly writing sentimental messages about his daughter, and despite being a relatively private person, Rob proudly shares Dream's most adorable moments and milestones.
Take it from Kris Jenner, who praised her son's parenting in a candid interview in November. "His daughter Dream is great and he's so in love with that kid," Kris said. "He's such a great dad and you never know—you have kids, they grow up, they have their kids—and you just don't know how somebody is going to be as a parent but he's just... wow."
Added the famed momager, "He really is amazing."
In a huge move for the notoriously private and camera-shy 33-year-old, Rob returned to Keeping Up With the Kardashians during the E! show's 18th season, which aired in the spring of 2020. His initial appearance was for the best reason, too: he was throwing an adorable Trolls-themed birthday party for Dream.
Rob also appeared on Keeping Up With the Kardashians: Kim's 40th Birthday Special in October. The family gathered to celebrate Kim Kardashian's milestone birthday and look back at her best moments from the show over the years.
In June, Rob began making his way back toward the spotlight. The journey began at Khloe Kardashian's 36th birthday party, where he snapped this photo of him, Tristan Thompson and Savas Oguz, later uploading it to Instagram and in turn, offering fans the first real glimpse at him in roughly a year and a half, save for a few photos on Halloween and a post from January showing little more than his eyebrows. Rob even declared in the caption, "Woo back baby."
In another photo from Khloe's birthday party, Rob posed with Scott Disick. Though the snapshots were all from the same day, it was a big deal for Rob to even share them in the first place. In the past, he's typically stuck to posting photos of Dream or business-related content. So when Rob got the attention of the internet, fans rushed to congratulate him on his return to social media and to pay their compliments; most of which said that he looked good and healthy.
Rob definitely grew closer with his sisters in 2020, but especially Khloe. "She looks out for him and is very protective," an insider told E! News in August. "She's so happy to see him making progress and encourages him to keep it up."
A month prior, Khloe herself opened up about her bond with Rob, revealing on Daily Pop that she was "so, so happy" that fans were excited to him back in the spotlight.
"Him and I have always been so incredibly close," Khloe told E!'s Justin Sylvester during the exclusive chat. "He's at things a lot, we just always respect his privacy. And he just, I don't know, was feeling himself as he should at my birthday. He was fine with us posting a flick of him. He's so handsome, he's such a good person and I just love him. And I love that he's getting a positive response because it's just gassing him up more. It makes him feel really good and confident. That's all I want for my brother, is to feel good about himself."
Rob's relationship with Kourtney Kardashian seems to be stronger than ever, too. In fact, it was he who got the eldest Kardashian her "favorite birthday present" this year: their late father Robert Kardashian's old record collection. Featuring classic tunes from timeless artists like Etta James, Luther Vandross, Ray Charles, Neil Young and more, Rob's sentimental gift meant a lot to Kourtney.
Rob's Fourth of July was definitely one for the books. He partied alongside his sisters, Australian model and singer Parnia Porsche, Tristan Thompson and his pal Savas Oguz, Malika Haqq and more. Rob also shared another rare photo of himself!
For the longest time, Rob posting photos of himself with other people was a big deal—so imagine fans' surprise when he shared a (shirtless!) selfie in August. Donning a necklace and a Los Angeles Rams bucket hat, Rob was living the good life, lounging next to a crystal-clear pool with views of a sprawling golf course.
In posting another selfie, Rob seemed to confirm what a source told E! News over the summer: "He's doing great and is in a good headspace."
"Rob has been thriving during quarantine," the source continued. "He is loving spending time with Dream and entertaining her with activities. He is always sharing her milestones with his sisters and loves teaching her new things. Dream is his number one priority."
As for his own well-being, "Rob's been continuously putting effort into his health and wellness and is happier than ever," the source said. "He still works out with a trainer here and there, but has really been working on his healthy eating habits. This has been a game changer for him."
Rob traveled to Turks and Caicos and celebrated Kylie Jenner's 23rd birthday alongside Khloe, Kendall Jenner and more, including Tristan, pictured here. The getaway not only provided some family fun, but as a source explained to E! News at the time, it was more proof that Rob's pointed in the right direction.
"Rob is doing so much better and is a lot happier in general. He is feeling better both physically and mentally. Everyone is thrilled to see how well he is doing," a source exclusively told E! News. "They love having him around more and were excited that he joined Kylie's birthday trip. He has been open to joining in more and wanting to be a part of things."
Kim went all out to celebrate her birthday this year, reportedly flying about 50 family members and friends to a tropical location for a six-day getaway. Rob was on the trip, and the Kardashian-Jenner siblings made sure to document one of their heartwarming moments with this snapshot. If only Kylie were there!
Yet again showing off his love for his daughter! Dream rang in her fourth birthday with a Disney-themed celebration. In addition to throwing the festive, family-filled party, Rob delivered a sweet tribute to his little girl on Instagram. "Happy Birthday to my baby girl!!" he wrote. "I am so Proud of the sweet and smart girl that you are! Thank You for bringing so much Happiness to my Life :) Daddy Loves You."
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