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Jimmy Kimmel's son's surgeon discusses his 'very severe form' of heart condition... a month after seven-year-old had third open heart surgery
The lead surgeon who performed surgery on Jimmy Kimmel's son Billy is speaking out about the seven-year-old's 'very severe form' of heart condition.
Billy underwent his third open heart surgery last month, and Dr. Vaughn A. Starnes performed all of them at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.
With Kimmel's, 56, permission, the cardiac surgeon gave an update on Billy's recovery, saying it is 'the greatest joy' to see him doing well in a new interview with Good Morning America.
Dr. Starnes added that Jimmy was 'a mess' going into his son's surgery and 'very emotional', while his wife, Molly McNearney, 46, was a 'rock.'
Billy has a condition called Tetralogy of Fallot, a congenital heart defect where a combination of four abnormalities affect how blood flows through the heart.
The lead surgeon who performed surgery on Jimmy Kimmel's, 56, son Billy is speaking out about the seven-year-old's 'very severe form' of heart condition; Jimmy seen with Billy in 2022
Billy underwent his third open heart surgery last month, and Dr. Vaughn A. Starnes performed all of them at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
Dr. Starnes added that Billy 'had a very severe form' of the condition, sharing that 'he had no connection between the right ventricle.'
Dr. Starnes shared that Kimmel and his wife did not know about their son's heart defect until shortly after he was born, and that 'it caught them by surprise.'
Speaking about Jimmy and Molly the surgeon said, 'They thought Billy was going to be perfectly normal and was until two or three hours after delivery.'
'That's when the nurse noted that the child was somewhat blue and sounded the alarms.'
Dr. Starnes added that the experience has 'got to be the most scary, terrifying thing that a parent goes through.'
Speaking about how Jimmy and his family were doing going into the surgery, which took place over the Memorial Day weekend, Dr. Starnes shared 'Jimmy was very emotional. And Molly was obviously emotional, but more in control of her emotions.'
Dr. Starnes shared that the surgery was a success right away.
After seeing a clip posted by Kimmel last week of Billy at home, following the surgery, Starnes shared he was 'a little bit' surprised at how active Billy was.
'I knew after putting a valve in there, he would improve. I didn't expect him to improve that fast,' he said.
Last Monday Kimmel announced that his youngest son had successfully undergone open-heart surgery over the Memorial Day weekend.
Dr. Starnes said Jimmy was 'a mess' going into his son's surgery and 'very emotional', while his wife, Molly McNearney, 46, was a 'rock'; The couple seen with Billy and their daughter Jane, nine, in 2018
Billy has a condition called Tetralogy of Fallot, a congenital heart defect where a combination of four abnormalities affect how blood flows through the heart
The comedian posted a sweet photo of Billy smiling gently while lying in a hospital bed as he shared the health news.
'This weekend, our boy Billy had his third (of three, we hope) open heart surgery,' Kimmel wrote in his lengthy caption.
'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 continued.
Kimmel first revealed in 2017 that his then-baby son had undergone his first heart surgery, which spurred him on to advocate for healthcare and insurance reform.
Kimmel included praise for 'Billy's doctors, led by the brilliant surgeon Vaughn Starnes, cardiologist Tim Casarez and the excellent, hard-working staff, doctors, nurses and nurse practitioners at CHLA, including, but certainly not limited to Misty, Ann, Sylvia, Dana, Caleigh, Nick, Bekah, Julie, Kenny, Caroline, Lisa, Stephanie, Ellize, Ivy, Pam and Carrie came through for us with immeasurable kindness and expertise.'
The late-night host called it a 'humbling experience' to meet other 'vulnerable' children and their parents, as well as the 'miracle workers' doing their best to 'save' the young patients.
Kimmel made sure to to praise his wife Molly 'for being stronger than is reasonable for any Mom to be,' and saluted young Billy as 'the toughest (and funniest) 7 year-old we know.'
'There are so many parents and children who aren't fortunate enough to go home after five days,' he added. 'Please share your love, hearts and prayers with them...'
Dr. Starnes shared that Kimmel and his wife did not know about their son's heart defect until shortly after he was born, and that 'it caught them by surprise'
Kimmel announced last Monday that his youngest son had successfully undergone his third open-heart surgery over the Memorial Day weekend
The comedian tipped his hat to the late Senator John McCain, who was the key vote scuttling a bill that would have gutted the Affordable Care Act during the Trump administration.
He also noted that the healthcare law made it 'largely' possible for CHLA to accept young patients regardless of their ability to pay.
Kimmel has spoken about his young son's heart condition in the past, including in an emotional speech in 2017, shortly after Billy was born.
Just three days after Billy was born, Kimmel announced on his show that the little boy would need open-heart surgery for his congenital heart condition.
When revealing his son's condition, Kimmel explained: 'Basically, the pulmonary valve was completely blocked and he has a hole in the wall between the left and right sides of his heart.'
During his impassioned speech, he added: 'If your baby is going to die, and it doesn’t have to, it should not matter how much money you make.'
But he also spoke on a lighter note about Billy.
'Poor kid. Not only did he get a bad heart, he got my face,' he joked.
In May of 2017, after Billy's first open-heart surgery, Kimmel spoke on his show about how Billy's heart condition was discovered shortly after his birth.
'He appeared a normal healthy baby,' he began. '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.'
'(The doctors) determined he wasn't getting enough oxygen in his blood, either in his heart or lungs. They did an x-ray and his lungs were fine, which meant his heart wasn't. It's a terrifying thing,' he continued. 'They found that Billy was born with a heart disease.'
Just three days after Billy was born, Kimmel announced on his show that the little boy would need open-heart surgery for his congenital heart condition; Billy pictured at seven months old in December 2017, after his second surgery
Kimmel's subsequent updates were positive, and in December 2017, he brought seven-month-old Billy on the show and announced that he had had his second open-heart surgery.
'Billy is doing great, by the way. He has one more surgery — this is amazing — he had an operation a week ago. They say he'll probably be on track to win at least a bronze medal at the Olympics in 2036,' he announced.
Kimmel has been married to Molly, who is an executive producer and co-head writer on his show Jimmy Kimmel Live!, since 2013.
In addition to Billy they share a nine-year-old daughter Jane, and Kimmel has two adult children — Katie, 32, and Kevin, 30 — from his first marriage to Gina Maddy from 1988 to 2003.