It’s been a difficult few months for Jimmy Kimmel and his family after the comedian’s six-month-old son Billy was diagnosed with congenital heart disease, but things are finally looking up.
After a series of life-saving surgeries, the 49-year-old took to Instagram on Saturday to inform fans his adorable baby is now doing much better.
‘Young Billy is six months old today,’ he began, captioning a photo of his son smiling in his carseat.
On the mend… Jimmy Kimmel took to Instagram on Saturday to inform fans his adorable six-month-old son Billy is doing better after being diagnosed with congenital heart disease
‘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.’
Jimmy has been open about his youngest child’s health issues, using it as a platform to campaign for better healthcare for families in America.
‘That experience really opened my eyes to how difficult life can be for other parents in that situation and how important it is that parents are covered like we are,’ he said in an emotional plea on The Jimmy Kimmel Show last month.
‘Obviously this is a personal thing for me.’
Advocate: Jimmy has been open about his youngest child’s health issues, using it as a platform to campaign for better healthcare for families in America
Emotional: ‘That experience really opened my eyes to how difficult life can be for other parents in that situation’
And since becoming a vocal proponent for affordable healthcare, Jimmy says he’s had countless others approach him with their own healthcare stories.
‘I heard these stories over and over again,’ he said on his late night TV show.
‘I saw pictures of children who are not well. People got teared up, and quite a few of these people told me they’re Republicans. Republican people – not politicians. There’s a big difference.’
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter back in August, Jimmy spoke about how doctors realized something was life-threateningly wrong with Billy just hours after he was born.
‘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,’ Jimmy wrote on Instagram
Doting dad: In addition to Billy, Jimmy is also dad to a three-year-old daughter, Jane, with his wife of four years, screenwriter Molly McNearney
‘I felt like I was in an episode of a television show where something terrible was happening,’ he told the publication.
‘There were a lot of people scrambling around. At that point, I knew there was nothing I could do. They were all very good about keeping me abreast of what was happening, but I wanted them to just focus on him and not worry about me.’
In addition to Billy, Jimmy is also a doting dad to a three-year-old daughter, Jane, with his wife of four years, screenwriter Molly McNearney, 39.
He also has two adult children, Katie, 26, and Kevin, 24, from his first wife, costume designer Gina Kimmel, 52.