Jimmy Kimmel reveals young son underwent third heart surgery

By Lisa Respers France, CNN

(CNN) — Jimmy Kimmel is celebrating his youngest son’s successful heart surgery.

The late-night talk show host shared the news on social media on Monday.

“This weekend, our boy Billy had his third (of three, we hope) open heart surgery,” Kimmel captioned the photo of Billy, 7, in a hospital bed. “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.”

Kimmel added, “Walking around this hospital, meeting parents at their most vulnerable, children in pain and the miracle workers who do everything in their considerable power to save them is a humbling experience” and thanked multiple members of the hospital staff by name.

He also paid tribute to his “wife Molly for being stronger than is reasonable for any Mom to be and Billy, you are the toughest (and funniest) 7 year-old we know.”

Kimmel made headlines in 2017 when he emotionally during a 13-minute long monologue on his show that Billy was suffering from a serious heart condition, an issue discovered just hours after the child’s birth.

“It’s a terrifying thing,” Kimmel said at the time, his voice breaking. “You know, my wife is back in the recovery room, she has no idea what’s going on and I’m standing in the middle of a lot of worried looking people – kind of like right now – who were trying to figure out what the problem is.”

Since his experiences with his son, Kimmel has been a vocal advocate for health coverage for people with pre-existing conditions and for the work of children’s hospitals.

“There are so many parents and children who aren’t fortunate enough to go home after five days,” he wrote in his post on Monday. “Please share your love, hearts and prayers with them and if it moves you, support @ChildrensLA (link in bio) or a great children’s hospital near you (@CMNHospitals).”

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