Jimmy Kimmel shares health update on son Billy, 7, nearly a year after third open-heart surgery

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Jimmy Kimmel has provided an update on his son, Billy, nearly a year after the seven-year-old underwent his third open-heart surgery.

Kimmel and his wife, Molly McNearney, have faced several challenges since Billy was born with a congenital heart defect — Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) with pulmonary atresia.

Jimmy Kimmel says son Billy is 'very healthy'

Billy underwent his first open-heart surgery just three days after birth, followed by two more operations, with the most recent in May 2024. 

Speaking with E! News, Kimmel shared a health update on Billy and expressed gratitude for the support and prayers his family has received.

"Billy is about to turn 8. He's doing great. He's very healthy," the comedian said. He also spoke about the impact of people’s prayers for his son.

"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," Kimmel added.

In December 2024, Kimmel shared a picture of Billy at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, thanking the doctors and nurses.

"Billy is a healthy and funny boy thanks to the doctors, nurses, and staff at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles whose compassion and caring is unmatched," he wrote. Kimmel also encouraged donations to organizations supporting children's healthcare.

Jimmy Kimmel called his son Billy the 'toughest 7-year-old' he knows

Jimmy Kimmel first shared news of Billy's third surgery in May 2024 on Instagram, revealing that the operation was a success.

"This weekend, our boy Billy had his third (of three, we hope) open-heart surgery. 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," he wrote.

He thanked his wife, saying, "Thank you to my 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."

In July 2024, Kimmel told Entertainment Tonight that Billy was recovering well.

"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," he shared, adding, "Physically, you know, we're gonna have to be careful with him for a couple of months, but he's doing really well."

Jimmy Kimmel opened up about his son Billy's heart condition on his late-night show soon after his birth

Two weeks after Billy’s birth in 2017, Jimmy Kimmel shared that he was born with a congenital heart defect in an emotional monologue on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!', as per Hello!.

He recalled how Billy initially appeared healthy, but a nurse noticed something unusual.

"My wife was in bed relaxing, a very attentive nurse at Cedars-Sinai heard a murmur in his heart and noticed he was a bit purple, which is not common," Kimmel said.

Doctors later determined that Billy was not getting enough oxygen in his blood.

"They did an X-ray and his lungs were fine, which meant his heart wasn't. It's a terrifying thing. They found that Billy was born with a heart disease," Kimmel recalled.

He explained the severity of the condition, saying, "Basically, the pulmonary valve was completely blocked, and he has a hole in the wall between the left and right sides of his heart."