Larry King has been around for as long as we can remember.
Even if you didn't ever watch his TV show, Larry King Live, or tune into his radio show, The Larry King Show, you know who he is and can probably picture him and hear his voice in your head. He was an American national treasure, in leagues with the likes of Oprah or Barbara Walters. They've just always been there.
While King gave us some of the most interesting interviews over his multiple decades in the business, he also raked in the awards...and wives. King was married nine times to eight different women (he married one of his wives twice) and left behind three children, Larry Jr., Chance, and Cannon (his daughter Chaia and his adoptive son Andy both died in 2020), when he sadly died of complications with COVID this past January.
But what was King's relationship like with his second-youngest son, Chance? They seemed to have been very close with each other, even though Chance and his brother Cannon had the least amount of time with the radio/TV host.
King And Chance Often Attended Baseball Games Together
King had Chance in 1999 with his seventh wife, Shawn Southwick, who is a singer, actress, and TV host.
Chance has shared photos of him and his brother Cannon from when they were little, and they were so adorable. It looks like Chance shares his father's love of baseball, as he's clearly played the sport in school and has attended Brooklyn Dodgers/Los Angeles Dodgers games with his father. Now Chance is a student at the University of Southern California.
Chance Was Heartbroken By His Father's Death
Back in 2019, when King started having health complications, Chance took to his Instagram to post a photo of him and his father and penned a heartfelt letter explaining how much he loved him.
"In life you never know what can happen at any given moment," he began. "This summer my Dad faced what looked like an insurmountable amount of health issues. When being told on multiple occasions that by several doctors that there was little hope, all I could think about was how there was nothing I wouldn’t do to get more time with him. He fought and his INDOMITABLE spirit pulled him through. I will be forever grateful for my Dad and the amazing man and example he is to me. Our love for each other is endless and everlasting. Difficult times can diminish you, define you, or DEVELOP you. Although this experience has been tough, it has been and continues to be a blessing. Pops is getting back to work, watching dodgers games, dinners at palm. Watch out world the man is back and better than ever!"
Even as his own health was declining back in 2020, King had to suffer losing two of his children, Chaia and Andy, within two weeks of each other. His daughter lost her battle to lung cancer, and his son died of a heart attack.
"Losing them feels so out of order. No parent should have to bury a child," King wrote at the time on his Instagram, LarryKingNow.
Sadly, all of King's illnesses left him even more vulnerable to COVID-19. Following King's death this past January, his sons put out a statement that gave us insight it what King meant to his children and how he was as a father.
Their joint statement read:
We are heartbroken over our father's death, and together with our extended family mourn his passing. The world knew Larry King as a great broadcaster and interviewer, but to us he was 'dad.' He was the man who lovingly obsessed over our daily schedules and our well-being, and who took such immense pride in our accomplishments -- large, small, or imagined. And, through it all, we knew without a doubt in the world that he loved us more than life itself. He was an amazing father, and he was fiercely loyal to those lucky enough to call him a friend. We will miss him every single day of our lives.
The outpouring of love and the remembrances of his remarkable career have touched us deeply and we are so thankful. In lieu of flowers, we kindly ask consideration of a donation to the American Heart Association or the Beverly Hills Fire Department EMS, to which a debt of gratitude is owed for the wonderful care they provided to our dad in his final years.
With deep appreciation,
Larry King, Jr., Chance King, and Cannon King
Chance and his brothers were clearly very close with their father. At the recent Daytime Emmy's Chance, Cannon and Larry Jr. accepted a posthumous award on behalf of their father.
"I'm so thankful to be here with my brother in acceptance of this great award for our dad," Cannon said. Chance continued, "I can tell you all that my dad is looking down on us with a very large smile. This last season was a testament for his love of broadcasting. As much as he is gone, he is with us in our hearts forever. We love you so much, Dad."
Sadly, Chance and Cannon won't have any more time with King, but if they ever need to hear his voice, they have a lot of material through his many appearances on his TV and radio shows. They're so proud to be Kings.