Larry King's children: The tragedy of how son Andy, 65, and daughter Chaia, 51, died within weeks of each other
Award-winning TV and radio host Larry King died after a tragic battle with health complications in Los Angeles. He was 87. “With profound sadness, Ora Media announces the death of our co-founder, host, and friend Larry King, who passed away this morning at age 87 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles,” a message on King’s official Twitter handle read.
“For 63 years and across the platforms of radio, television and digital media, Larry’s many thousands of interviews, awards, and global acclaim stand as a testament to his unique and lasting talent as a broadcaster. Additionally, while it was his name appearing in the shows’ titles, Larry always viewed his interview subjects as the true stars of his programs, and himself as merely an unbiased conduit between the guest and audience.”
It further read, “Whether he was interviewing a U.S. president, foreign leader, celebrity, scandal-ridden personage, or an everyman, Larry liked to ask short, direct, and uncomplicated questions. He believed concise questions usually provided the best answers, and he was not wrong in that belief.”
Back in 2019, King went through a terrible time as in the gap of three weeks, he lost his son as well as his daughter. Page Six confirmed the news stating that the legendary broadcaster’s children died within weeks of each other.
The outlet stated that King's 65-year-old son Andy died a couple of weeks ago. The reason of his death is not known. While his daughter Chaia, who was 51, died on August 20 due to lung cancer, the New York Post reported.
According to reports, Andy was his stepson as he adopted him in 1962 after marrying his mother, Alene Akins. The couple had Chaia in 1969. "Larry and his three remaining children are distraught, and Larry’s still recovering from his own health issues from last year," a source said. While another insider added: "He did two live shows (of Hulu’s 'Politiking with Larry King'). It’s his way of processing."
Now, after the deaths of Andy and Chaia, King has three other children. One of his sons' name is Larry Jr, who is from his second marriage, while college-going sons Chance and Cannon are from his most recent marriage with Shawn King in 1997. The 86-year-old legend has reportedly written a children’s book with late daughter Chaia in 1997, titled 'Daddy Day, Daughter Day'. The book provided both father and daughter’s views on his divorce from Akins, whom he remarried in 1969.
Akins died in 2017. On her death, King tweeted: "So very saddened over the passing of Alene Akins, who died peacefully with our children Chaia and Andy by her side. She was a grand lady."
King himself suffered a heart attack after going into cardiac arrest in 2019. At the time, it was reported that the TV host had been having difficulty breathing for months and was also scheduled to check himself into the hospital for an angiogram. However, the day when he was expected to visit the hospital for an angiogram, he went into cardiac arrest. Soon after, he was rushed to the hospital where the doctors opened an artery that had collapsed and inserted several stents, according to TMZ.
The talk show legend has a history of heart problems for three decades. Earlier in 1987, he suffered a major heart attack and had quintuple bypass surgery.
King also acknowledged a few of his unhealthy habits in a 2004 book titled 'Taking on Heart Disease'. He said: "In early 1987 I was smoking three packs of Nat Sherman cigarettes a day, eating fried this-and-that, enjoying lamb chops with lots of fat because that always improves the taste, ordering banana cream or lemon meringue pie for dessert — and feeling absolutely fine."
"But when I look back at the events leading up to that day when you-know-what happened, I remember people giving me 'the look.' It was always followed by something like 'Larry, you oughta (fill in the blank: stop smoking/eat more fish/get some exercise),' and I always responded with a completely phony appreciative nod and continued doing what I was doing. I guess that line about 'everything you need to see is always right in front of you but you gotta open your eyes to see it' really does hold true."