Jimmy Kimmel Shares Sweet 6-Month Picture Of 'Healthy, Happy' Son, Billy
Smiles all around at Billy’s health update
At just three days old, Jimmy Kimmel’s son, Billy, underwent emergency surgery when it was discovered he was born with congenital heart disease. The host of ABC’s ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ has been open with fans about his son’s condition and the critical importance of access to quality, affordable healthcare for all children. This week, Kimmel was able to share some good news about Billy, along with a picture that is melting hearts everywhere.
Young Billy is six months old today,” Kimmel shared on Instagram. “He is healthy and happy and we are all very grateful for your prayers, good wishes, thoughts and support of @ChildrensLA and children’s hospitals in your area.”
Kimmel, 49, and wife, Molly McNearney, have been open about the additional open-heart surgeries Billy will face as he gets older. “We would like to get them over with and not have to think about it all the time, but it could definitely be worse,” Kimmel shared with the Hollywood Reporter.
The late night host also shared, in typical Kimmel fashion, how Billy was doing. “He’s doing great. Young Billy made his first visit to our office today,” he said. “He’s juggling. He’s translating Flaubert from French into English. He’s really an amazing kid. No — he smiles. That’s pretty much it. He is very interested in ceiling fans. He likes those a lot. I could get him to pay the same amount for Netflix just to watch ceiling fans.”
Ceiling fans – entertaining babies and cats since, forever.
When Kimmel spoke about Billy’s condition just weeks after he was born, he was emotional about the process and about the threat to healthcare in this country. “We were brought up to believe that we live in the greatest country in the world, but until a few years ago, millions and millions of us had no access to health insurance at all,” he stated emotionally. “Before 2014, if you were born with congenital heart disease like my son was, there was a good chance you would never be able to get health insurance because you had a preexisting condition. You were born with a preexisting condition, and if your parents didn’t have medical insurance, you might not even live long enough to get denied because of a preexisting condition.”
He and wife McNearney continue to speak out and advocate for children’s healthcare. Here’s hoping they also continue to share pictures of little Billy with all of us, because that smile is everything.
