Jimmy Kimmel is urging his viewers to "vote with your heart" as we're only days away from the next presidential election. On his show earlier this week, Kimmel shared never-before-seen footage of his three-year-old son Billy's various hospital visits over the last couple of years. Billy was born with a congenital heart condition, tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia, and has undergone three heart procedures since birth.
Billy's first surgery was needed at just three days old, and in order to show viewers just how serious accessible healthcare is, Kimmel's wife Molly McNearney compiled a slideshow of personal photos and videos of Billy's health battle. The Kimmel family is aware that they're in a position of financial stability, but other families who suffer from health issues are not as fortunate and struggle to afford their healthcare. "Vote with your heart," because even if you aren't affected by pressing political issues, someone you know is.
"I want to bring us back to focus on something we can't afford to forget, and that is health care," Kimmel said. "The vast majority of this country believes that health insurance should cover Americans with preexisting conditions." At the end of the touching video, Kimmel and McNearney show Billy happy and healthy today, though they emphasize the importance of protecting those with pre-existing conditions, and they know Billy's health is far from perfect yet.