On April 21st, Jimmy Kimmel welcomed his 4th child and second with his wife Molly McNearney. It should’ve been one of the happiest days of their lives, but then the nurse noticed that Billy had a heart murmur and was purple. She rushed Billy and Jimmy to another room, so that another nurse could evaluate him. After the room was full of doctors and nurses, they realized that the newborn was born with heart disease. He was immediately rushed from Cedars-Sinai to Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. It was there that he was informed that his son needed immediate surgery. Three hours later, the baby survived his first of three surgeries and less than a week after that he is home with his mom, dad and big sister Jane, 2.
To say it was an emotional week for the new parents would be an understatement. His raw emotions as he told the story, will make you want to hug the new dad and tell him it will be OK. Which it is now. To Molly and Jimmy, enjoy him! Your love will help to make his heart grow stronger with every beat.
The ABC host will be on paternity leave this week and several of his friends will fill in for him. Tomorrow Will Arnett will host the show followed by Anthony Anderson, Kristen Bell and finally David Spade.
UPDATE: Although I didn’t want to touch the political aspect of his monologue, I feel I have to. Yesterday, a GOP Congressman said, “People who ‘lead good lives’ should pay less than those with pre-existing conditions.” Tell me what bad thing did a one day old baby do to deserve his pre-existing condition. What did the kids at CHLA do to deserve their pre-existing conditions? Even people who ‘lead good lives’ get pre-existing conditions. If you can’t see that, then your pre-existing condition is mental illness and you won’t even fund that. Good and bad people get sick, and we all deserve healthcare. No parent should ever lose a child to a pre-existing condition because they can’t afford it or because some stupid politician thinks they are not worthy of life after they are born. Life doesn’t stop at birth, it is when it begins. You can’t be pro-life, but not support living a healthy life.
Jimmy and Molly, I am sorry you are going through what you are going through, but I hope your story makes a difference. I know Billy will be fine and have the biggest heart you will ever know!
