Jimmy Kimmel thanks hospital staff and supporters on son's birthday: 'This boy is 7 years old because of you'
The late-night host's son Billy was treated for a congenital heart defect at Cedars-Sinai and Children's Hospital Los Angeles.
Jimmy Kimmel is filled with gratitude as his son Billy turns 7.
In a pair of heartfelt Instagram posts, the late-night host paid tribute to the hospitals that treated his son for a congenital heart defect when he was born. "Billy turns 7 today and is doing great thanks to the doctors, nurses, therapists and staff at @ChildrensLA & @CedarsSinai," Kimmel wrote Sunday alongside a photo of the boy kicking his foot at the camera and smiling.
Kimmel also asked followers to donate $7 to Children's Hospital Los Angeles to mark the occasion. "Billy is asking friends 'to give $7 because I’m seven to help kids in the hospital,'" Kimmel said. "(He also wants a spy kit). His goal is 'to raise $100 to help sick kids.' If you’d like to donate - thank you and link in bio."
In a follow-up post Monday, Kimmel thanked fans for their generous outpouring of support in response to his previous note. "This boy is seven years old because of you," he wrote, sharing another photo of Billy making a silly face. "Molly and I are overwhelmed by your generous donations to @childrensla and kind messages. Thank you for all the love. We wish you and your families good health and great friends."
Billy was born with Tetralogy of Fallot with VSD, a congenital heart defect that required open-heart surgery when he was just three days old. To this day, he still receives care for the condition.
When Billy was born, Kimmel delivered a heartfelt monologue on Jimmy Kimmel Live, urging audiences to support healthcare reform in the U.S. and sharing his own experiences through tears. "I saw a lot of families there, and no parent should ever have to decide if they can afford to save their child’s life," he said. "It just shouldn’t happen. Not here.”
Kimmel brought Billy on the show when he was 7 months old to advocate for healthcare yet again, and he and his family have remained ardent supporters of CHLA in the years since.
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