Jimmy Kimmel Celebrates Son Billy’s 9th Birthday With Positive Health Update

Jimmy Kimmel‘s son is one year away from turning double digits.

The late-night host took to Instagram on Tuesday, April 21, to celebrate his son Billy’s 9th birthday. “Our boy Billy turns 9 today and is doing great, thanks to the doctors, nurses, therapists, and many more at @ChildrensLA & @CedarsSinai,” Kimmel wrote alongside a sweet photo of Billy holding a fish he caught. “CHLA trains medical staff to save kids all over the world. If you can, please make a donation of $9 to support critical health care for kids – the link is in my bio – thank you. #CatchAndRelease.”

Celebrities flooded the post’s comments with their own birthday wishes for Billy. “Happy birthday Billy. We love you very much,” wrote Kimmel’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! costar Guillermo Rodriguez. Viola Davis added, “Happiest of birthdays!! You are blessed.”

Charlie Puth and Olivia Munn commented several red heart emojis, while Johnny Knoxville wrote, “Happy birthday Billy!!!! too bad jackass is ending as he could have been the new me!!” Henry Winkler posted, “What a day! What a fish.” Bonnie Hunt simply wrote, “Love.”

Fans also sent Billy their well-wishes. “Happy 9th Birthday Billy! Happily donated!” one user wrote. Another added, “Many Happy Returns of The Day Billy And Many More.” Someone else shared, “Great fish Billy! You look just like your dad.”

A different person posted, “To the Birthday Boy, Happy Birthday Week, Billy what a Great Catch.” A separate commenter stated, “What a great picture of a Happy Birthday Boy!”

 

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Billy is the youngest of Kimmel and his wife Molly McNearney‘s two children, including daughter Jane. (Kimmel also shares his two eldest children — Katie and Kevin — with his ex-wife, Gina Maddy.)

Billy was born in 2017 with congenital heart disease and underwent open-heart surgery shortly after his birth. “Poor kid. Not only did he get a bad heart, he got my face,” Kimmel joked on his late-night show in May 2017, noting that they took Billy home just six days after his surgery.

Kimmel teared up while thanking the hospital workers who helped save Billy’s life and his family and friends for their support. Thanking his wife, Kimmel stated, “[Thanks] for being so strong and level-headed and positive and loving during the worst nightmare a new mother could experience. I couldn’t ask for a better partner. I’m so happy we had this baby together. I’m definitely getting a vasectomy after this.”

Billy has undergone three heart surgeries over the years, his most recent taking place in May 2024. “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 captioned an Instagram pic of Billy smiling in a hospital bed at the time. “Once again 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.”

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He continued, “Walking around this hospital, meeting parents at their most vulnerable, children in pain and the miracle workers who do everything in their considerable power to save them is a humbling experience. … There are so many parents and children who aren’t fortunate enough to go home after five days. Please share your love, hearts and prayers with them and if it moves you, support @ChildrensLA (link in bio) or a great children’s hospital near you (@CMNHospitals). Nothing matters more than taking care of each other. With love and gratitude, Jimmy.”

Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Weeknights, 11:35/10:35c, ABC