Jimmy Kimmel Urges Fans to Donate After Son Billy’s 8th Birthday Health Milestone
Brace yourself for Jimmy Kimmel turning his son Billy’s 8th birthday into an $8 charity drive—because family milestones apparently double as fundraising opportunities. On April 21, the late-night host shared an Instagram snap of Billy grinning over an ice cream sundae, reminding us that he’s “very healthy and strong” post–congenital heart disease, thanks to the teams at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and Cedars‑Sinai. Kimmel’s caption, as reported by People, dropped the details: Billy was born in 2017 with a serious heart defect, survived three open‑heart surgeries (the latest in May), and now sports merely a scar and what his dad charmingly calls “the juiciest sense of humor.”
If you’ve been following this saga via Kimmel’s Instagram or caught his candid chat on iHeartPodcast Politickin’ with Gavin Newsom and Marshawn Lynch last August, you know Billy is “doing great”—and that his definition of ‘great’ includes squeezing his mom’s rear and exclaiming, “It’s so juicy.” Charming, right? Kimmel insists you’d never guess a thing was wrong, apart from that surgical scar across Billy’s chest. Yet he still found time to remind fans how “humbling” it was to emerge from an operating room with “a new valve inside a happy, healthy kid.”
In classic celebrity fashion, the host wrapped his heartfelt update in a call to action: “If you can, please make a gift of $8 to support children who need medical care, the link is in my bio.” Cue the flood of Instagram hearts and applause emojis, because nothing says authenticity like an influencer‑style donation plea. He thanked doctors, nurses, therapists and every stranger who’s sent prayers or dollars “through the years.” And of course, he didn’t forget a shoutout to his rockstar wife Molly McNearney, who he says handled Billy’s third surgery with “stronger‑than‑reasonable” mom energy.
Let’s not overlook the family tree: Billy and big sister Jane, 9, share mom Molly; older kids Kevin, 30, and Katie, 32, are from Kimmel’s first marriage. Billy’s recent medical triumph makes him arguably the toughest 8‑year‑old on the planet—at least according to dad’s Instagram feed. No word yet on whether the kid’s next milestone will be equally heartwarming or if Kimmel will next auction off late‑night monologue jokes for charity.
And that’s your celebrity charity update for today. You’re welcome.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine (people.com)
iHeartPodcast Politickin’ episode with Jimmy Kimmel (iHeartRadio)
Jimmy Kimmel’s Instagram
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
