Larry King Announces Death Of 2 Of His Children

NEW YORK (JTA) –  Two children of talk show host Larry King have died within weeks of each other.

King, 86, the longtime host of “Larry King Live” on CNN, made the announcement Saturday on social media.

“It is with sadness and a father’s broken heart that I confirm the recent loss of two of my children, Andy King, and Chaia King,” he wrote. “Both of them were good and kind souls and they will be greatly missed.”

Andy King died of a heart attack in late July at the age of 65. Chaia King, 51, died last week of lung cancer, shortly after it was diagnosed.

Both children were from King’s marriage to Alene Atkins. They were married in 1961, divorced two years later, but remarried in 1967 and divorced again in 1971. He adopted Andy, Atkins’ son, in 1962.

“Losing them feels so out of order. No parent should have to bury a child,” King wrote.

He has four other children from previous marriages and one stepchild.

King hosted his CNN show from 1985 to 2010. He now hosts “Larry King Now” on Ora TV.