Jimmy Kimmel has shared how his son Billy is faring after struggling with a heart defect since he was born.
The 57-year-old late night television host — who broke down in tears in January — announced that the seven-year-old youngster is ‘in perfect health’ less than a year after undergoing a third open heart surgery.
Speaking with E! News at last week’s Keep Memory Alive’s Power of Love Gala in Las Vegas, Kimmel said: ‘Billy is about to turn 8. He’s doing great. He’s very healthy.’
Billy, whom Kimmel shares with wife Molly McNearney, was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect just hours after his birth.
‘It’s very special when people say, “Oh, we’re praying for your son.” People throw those words around lightly, but when you hear them about yourself, they’re very meaningful,’ the grateful father stated.
Jimmy Kimmel has shared how his son Billy is faring after struggling with a heart defect since he was born
He added while at the fundraiser, ‘It is really helpful to know that you can go to a place where they are on the cutting edge of figuring this stuff out, hopefully curing these terrible brain-related diseases and conditions that that people have.’
In addition to Billy, the funnyman is also dad to adult children Katie and Kevin from his marriage to ex-wife Gina Maddy. He also shares 10-year-old daughter Jane with his current wife.
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In early December the father-of-four shared a snapsH๏τ of Billy wearing a blue tracksuit as he sat on a bed at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
The tot, who is the spitting image of Jimmy, held a red, heart-shaped pillow with his name on it while flashing a shy smile.
He wrote in the caption: ‘Billy is a healthy and funny boy thanks to the doctors, nurses and staff at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles whose compᴀssion and caring is unmatched.’
He then urged his three million followers to ‘please consider a donation to @ChildrensLA or one of these worthwhile organizations’ before listing various charities.
Last July Kimmel shared with Entertainment Tonight about his younger son, who was recovering from his third surgery at the time: ‘Billy’s doing great.
‘He had open-heart surgery, you know he’s got the scars and everything, but he’s just mentally right back where he was which is crazy.’
The 57-year-old late night television host announced that the seven-year-old youngster is ‘in perfect health’ less than a year after undergoing a third open heart surgery
Kimmel shares Billy, as well as 10-year-old daughter Jane, with wife Molly McNearney; pictured in Las Vegas on February 22
Jimmy pictured with his son Billy in 2022
He added, ‘Physically, you know, we’re gonna have to be careful with him for a couple of months, but he’s doing really well.’
Jimmy also noted that children are particularly resilient.
‘They’re made of rubber, you know. Everybody says that kids are so resilient and the doctors actually explained it to me, which I don’t know why it never occurred to me before… because they’re still growing,’ he said.
He had previously shared online in May, ‘We went into this experience with a lot of optimism and nearly as much fear and came out with a new valve inside a happy, healthy kid.’
