NBC News has reported that Jimmy Kimmel used his opening monologue Monday night to give an emotional account of how his newborn son was diagnosed with a rare heart condition and almost died.
During the 13-minute speech, Kimmel also gave an impassioned defense of Obamacare and criticized President Donald Trump's failed attempts to cut health spending.The 49-year-old, who also hosted this year's Oscars, broke down in tears several times as he opened up about the ordeal. Before revealing the details, he assured the audience "it has a happy ending."
His son, William "Billy" John Kimmel, appeared fine when he was born on April 21. But a nurse noticed the baby had heart murmur and appeared purple in color.
This was soon diagnosed as "tetralogy of fallot and pulmonary atresia," a rare condition meaning the pulmonary valve was blocked and the there was a hole in the heart wall.