King, 87, has been hospitalized at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles for over a week, the source said. Due to protocols in the hospital, King’s three sons were unable to visit him, according to the source.
King, who has type 2 diabetes, has faced a series of medical problems over the years, including several heart attacks and fivefold bypass surgeries in 1987. In 2017, King revealed that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer and had successfully undergone surgery to treat it. He also underwent a procedure to treat angina pectoris in 2019.
His own medical problems inspired him to found the Larry King Cardiac Foundation, a nonprofit that helps those without health insurance pay for medical care.
King hosted CNN’s “Larry King Live” for 25 years, interviewing presidential candidates, celebrities, athletes, movie stars and everyday people. He retired in 2010 after recording over 6,000 episodes of the show.
But he couldn’t stay off the air for long.
In 2012, he became the presenter of “Larry King Now,” a three-weekly show on Ora TV, a digital on-demand network he co-founded with Mexican telecommunications magnate Carlos Slim, Forbes said.
Last year, two of King’s adult children died within weeks of each other. His son, 65-year-old Andy King, died of a heart attack in late July, followed by King’s 52-year-old daughter Chaia King, who died in August shortly after being diagnosed with lung cancer.
King’s Twitter feed, @Royal house, has 2.4 million followers. His most recent tweet was on November 26 when he wished his followers a happy Thanksgiving.