This Easter turned out to be a grateful day of celebration for Jimmy Kimmel, as his Son William “Billy” Kimmel turned 2-years-old.
A yr ago today, God gave us this tough little boy. Today, we thank the nurses & doctors at @CedarsSinai & @ChildrensLA who saved his life & those who shared thoughts & prayers. We cannot stay quiet. Please wish Billy happy birthday by REGISTERING TO VOTE! https://t.co/vp1QTi4h9H pic.twitter.com/DXCalxIs94
— Jimmy Kimmel (@jimmykimmel) April 21, 2018
The host of Jimmy Kimmel Live! marked the occasion by paying tribute on social media to everyone who has prayed for his son during their most desperate hour of need.
Back in 2017, Kimmel revealed his son’s medical condition on his show during a teary monologue. He shared how his son was diagnosed with “tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia.”
The host recounted how a nurse first noticed something wrong with William when he was only a few hours old. She noted that his son “was a bit purple.”
The baby was rushed to the neonatal intensive care unit where the medical staff discovered signs that there was something very wrong with his heart.
“The room started to fill up. More doctors, nurses, and equipment started coming in and they determined that he wasn’t getting enough oxygen into his blood,” Kimmel said. “It’s a terrifying thing.”
What is the condition?
Kimmel said his son’s condition, tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia, describes two congenital heart defects.
From ABC News:
“The condition tetralogy of fallot is characterized by a combination of multiple defects that affect the heart’s structure and function. There is a hole in the wall between the lower chambers of the heart, an obstruction from the heart to the lungs and the aorta — the major blood vessel into the heart — lying over the lower chambers of the heart, according to the American Heart Association. As a result of the defect, blood is not fully oxygenated as it flows through the body, according to the Mayo Clinic.“
Despite enduring two heart surgeries during his first year of life, little Billy showcased his fighting spirit and pulled through, much to the relief of everyone following his battle.
It’s indeed a classy gesture to offer praise to all the wonderful hard-working medical staff who helped save his son’s life. The people who dedicate their lives to helping others day-in and day-out deserve to be commended for their service to society. It’s only through their hard work and thankless care that people like Billy are able to beat the odds and survive things that would otherwise prove fatal.