Jimmy Kimmel Shares Heartfelt Health Update on Son Billy After Multiple Surgeries

Jimmy Kimmel has shared a hopeful health update on his son Billy, who was born with a heart defect. The 57-year-old late-night television host, who emotionally spoke out in January, revealed that his son, now seven, is doing incredibly well less than a year after undergoing his third open-heart surgery.

Speaking at the Keep Memory Alive’s Power of Love Gala in Las Vegas, Kimmel proudly announced that Billy is “in perfect health” and will be turning eight soon. “Billy is about to turn 8. He’s doing great. He’s very healthy,” he told E! News.

Billy, whom Kimmel shares with wife Molly McNearney, was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect shortly after his birth. Kimmel expressed gratitude for the support they’ve received, especially the heartfelt prayers from people. “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,” he said.

The father-of-four also emphasized the importance of medical advancements in the fight against life-threatening conditions, saying, “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 people have.”

Kimmel also has adult children Katie and Kevin from his previous marriage, as well as a 10-year-old daughter, Jane, with his current wife.

In early December, the comedian shared a touching moment on social media, posting a photo of Billy wearing a blue tracksuit at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The image showed Billy holding a red, heart-shaped pillow with his name on it while flashing a shy smile. Kimmel expressed his gratitude in the caption, thanking the doctors, nurses, and staff at the hospital for their care and dedication. He encouraged his followers to donate to the hospital or other similar organizations.

Reflecting on Billy’s recovery last summer, Kimmel shared an update with Entertainment Tonight, noting that his son was doing incredibly well after undergoing surgery. “Billy’s doing great,” he said. “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.” Kimmel also mentioned that while Billy still needed to take it easy for a few months, he was already bouncing back mentally and emotionally.

Kimmel’s reflections also shed light on the resilience of children, saying, “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.”

In a previous post in May, Kimmel shared an optimistic outlook, writing, “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.”

Summary: Jimmy Kimmel shared a heartfelt update on his son Billy’s health, revealing that after undergoing a third open-heart surgery, Billy is now in “perfect health.” The comedian expressed deep gratitude for the support they’ve received and praised the medical teams who helped Billy. Kimmel’s reflections also highlighted the remarkable resilience of children and the positive impact of medical advancements.