...i was 4 when David was born and i watched the ABC movie based on him in 1976 when i was 9...we didn't know each other but we were kids at the same time in life...when i look at his image, i see me back then and realize how much he must have gone through just being a kid that couldn't do alot of the things the rest of us kids took for granted...i remember wanting to help and wanting to be his friend...it's all we really have to offer each other in life...you left us too David...
Wow - Young David would have turned 40 this year. That last image of David is haunting. Its captures to perfection feelings he must of had of sheer and utter despair. Its so very hard to fathom the anguish he must of felt once he was old enough to understand the total limitation that was his life.
I am curious how you know all of these "facts"... Are these things that you read or heard in a documentry? I have known about David my entire life and never heard half of these things!
@lagirl627 sorry i didn't respond. Most of what I learned of David Vetter was from the PBS special: American Experience - The Boy in the Bubble. Google it. find the website. You could order the special (check amazon too). I also read various articles and books (which were rather one-sided or overly sentimental. The PBS special seemed balanced, but I wish I could have heard the parents real feelings on the matter. They just gave info. Maybe they don't want their views public - makes sense.
SIGH...Poor little guy. The story of David Vetter just makes me want to cry. Being a father myself, it breaks me up to see what this little boy went through. As always happens after the fact, I just wish I could have done something for him--he was just 3 years younger than me, and I have a couple passing memories of seeing him on the news way back when. Sadly, it wa's probably merciful that he didn't survive in the end, since his personality had grown unstable in the absence of human contact.
What a beautiful child. Ican't even begin to imagine what it was like for the entire family to endure something like this. Do you think that maybe they have found a cure for this disease so that there can be more touching between child and parents? I would certainly hope so. My gosh 13 years is so young. My son is 12 going on 13 and my daughter is 9 going on 10. My heart really and truly goes out to the family. Bravo to John Travolta and the rest in filming a wonderful and touching story
thank you for your lovely comment. bless you and your kids. SCIDS is now very treatable by bone marrow transplant. Gene therapy has also been used, but is controvesial. David had a transplant from his sister, but she had an unseen virus which caused his death in the end. The footage you see above is actual video of David, not from the Travolta film, which was very hollywoodish. But it's also based on another boy's life - Ted DeVita, who lived in a bubble from age 10 till his death.
This is really sad i just feel so bad for him...he went through that for 12 years of his life which is something that i cant even do for a day..so he is a very brave little boy and i hope the best for his family and may he R.I.P :'( been crying since seeing this video
I just saw the documentary about David here... This is very sad, really. I hope I knew the boy more because it feels that we have something in common... even though we've never met. Peace be upon you David, I hope you came to a better place.
Even though we all had a chance to discover the outside world, we were are all stuck in our bubbles... but you David, even though you were stuck in that bubble, you understood the outerside world more than any of us would have ever imagined. Peace
at first i'd like to tell you how and beautiful video have u made. that guys dezurves it. he had to be in that bubble for so many yoears and we just can't imagine how many strength must he had to do this. he never could to that things that other kids have done and do it still. and i just adore that guy. i adore the strength he had that he could do this all over and he didn't give up...till the end came.
That was a remarkable boy. If I had to live my life like that when I was his age, I'm certain I would have cracked under the strain. This kid had impressive inner strength.
I couldn't imagine going through the things that people like David and Ted De Vita did. It must have been very difficult for them. Great tribute video, btw.
Oh yes, i'm sure. And both so different in experience, because David - it was all he knew since he was born, whereas Ted lived the first 10 years of his life fine, but then got that horrible disease and suddenly had to go in. Such dangerous and strange lives for two remarkable people.
I've never heard of Ted, but it's crazy when you think of all the medical advances that have occured since the mid 80's. Nowadays kids w/o little or no immunities have better options and a higher chance of survival!
Good point! I know it was traumatic for David, and he didn't even like the mobile suit that they made for him. Being cooped up in his isolation chambers, (for lack of a better term) I think, made him somewhat fearful of the world out there. At the same time, there was an eagerness in him to explore it. He rarely saw the world outside his house or the hospital, except when he was moved from one place to another & (of course) just previous to his death.
Contrary to the news, he was terribly frightened and a lot of the great stress he had was desire to see the world. I remember one story, he used to think trees were just flat colored shapes like in books. His teacher brought in a real branch with leaves and it filled him with wonder. Then, so understandably, he would grow angry. "Why do you teach me thes things?!" It's not like he could touch them. I can't imagine that glorious moment before his death when his mom held him for the first time.
Thanks for the info. :) I didn't know that his teacher would bring in things like tree branches to show him; It makes sense though (seeing as how they hoped he would be cured someday). I know what you mean, it must have been bittersweet for his mother. She would finally get to hold her son, for the 1st & last time (makes me sad). Not sure if I have this right, but did the Doctors start teaching him more (about germs) because he had stuck holes in the bubble?
As far as I know, that's correct. When he was four, he got some butterfly pin and started popping holes in the bubble. The doctors figured it was time to let him know. He became a lot more quieter and serious then. I agree with you about people wanting to show him all they could, hoping he would one day come out, and I'm sure his parents wanted to give him as much as a normal life as they could.
Once he reached age 4, i think his fear started...the doctors started making him aware how the germs would get him. He used to have constant nightmares, and his imagination being great, he would pretend to fight them, he'd kill all the germs, but more would come and there was always "the king of the germs" which he could never get to. I can't help wonder if and how he would have come out if that final operation worked. He was always looking out the window, just wanting to...
Rest in Peace, Sweet David Vetter.
:(
FutureGirl2033 1 week ago
...i was 4 when David was born and i watched the ABC movie based on him in 1976 when i was 9...we didn't know each other but we were kids at the same time in life...when i look at his image, i see me back then and realize how much he must have gone through just being a kid that couldn't do alot of the things the rest of us kids took for granted...i remember wanting to help and wanting to be his friend...it's all we really have to offer each other in life...you left us too David...
ELAW67 3 months ago
Wow - Young David would have turned 40 this year. That last image of David is haunting. Its captures to perfection feelings he must of had of sheer and utter despair. Its so very hard to fathom the anguish he must of felt once he was old enough to understand the total limitation that was his life.
intray6591 9 months ago
i will never watch bubble boy (with jake g.) the same
litojonny 11 months ago
@litojonny I HATE THAT MOVIE!!!! >:-[
FutureGirl2033 1 week ago
I am curious how you know all of these "facts"... Are these things that you read or heard in a documentry? I have known about David my entire life and never heard half of these things!
lagirl627 1 year ago
@lagirl627 sorry i didn't respond. Most of what I learned of David Vetter was from the PBS special: American Experience - The Boy in the Bubble. Google it. find the website. You could order the special (check amazon too). I also read various articles and books (which were rather one-sided or overly sentimental. The PBS special seemed balanced, but I wish I could have heard the parents real feelings on the matter. They just gave info. Maybe they don't want their views public - makes sense.
Ramanujan88 11 months ago
SIGH...Poor little guy. The story of David Vetter just makes me want to cry. Being a father myself, it breaks me up to see what this little boy went through. As always happens after the fact, I just wish I could have done something for him--he was just 3 years younger than me, and I have a couple passing memories of seeing him on the news way back when. Sadly, it wa's probably merciful that he didn't survive in the end, since his personality had grown unstable in the absence of human contact.
peyre1347 1 year ago
Wasn't there a film dedicated to this story?
Bubble boy or something.
r.i.p young david
Gresaaa 2 years ago
Comment removed
MW2watchyourback09 2 years ago
What a beautiful child. Ican't even begin to imagine what it was like for the entire family to endure something like this. Do you think that maybe they have found a cure for this disease so that there can be more touching between child and parents? I would certainly hope so. My gosh 13 years is so young. My son is 12 going on 13 and my daughter is 9 going on 10. My heart really and truly goes out to the family. Bravo to John Travolta and the rest in filming a wonderful and touching story
MrOliverGWR11 2 years ago 4
thank you for your lovely comment. bless you and your kids. SCIDS is now very treatable by bone marrow transplant. Gene therapy has also been used, but is controvesial. David had a transplant from his sister, but she had an unseen virus which caused his death in the end. The footage you see above is actual video of David, not from the Travolta film, which was very hollywoodish. But it's also based on another boy's life - Ted DeVita, who lived in a bubble from age 10 till his death.
Ramanujan88 2 years ago
Poor kid,
can anybody tell me where i can watch the documentary????
i have been looking for ages, but i have never been able to find it.
PIECE2YOURMOTHA 2 years ago
I order the film awhile ago from PBS...maybe it's still there. Check out their website.
Ramanujan88 2 years ago
poor kid
synthax303 2 years ago
his last wish was to drink a bottle of coke..RIP..lovely boy..
eudoraleer 2 years ago 4
riposa in pace david
sghzv40 2 years ago
R.I.P David, you´re wonderful,
very touching and moving, I was crying after seeing the documentary about him.
His mother said: "....and I touched his hand for the first and last time...."!
very very sad
mantarules4 2 years ago 8
He is such a beautiful Boy!!!
R.I.P Little Angel
Atemberaubend123 2 years ago 2
i love this video, RIP
JABATE 3 years ago
RIP little angel....
Can anyone tell me what song that was?
coleWTF 3 years ago
oh sorry, yes, the song is called "Touched" written and performed by Anno Birkin. He was killed in 2001, for more of his words and music, visit
anno . co . uk
Ramanujan88 3 years ago
This is really sad i just feel so bad for him...he went through that for 12 years of his life which is something that i cant even do for a day..so he is a very brave little boy and i hope the best for his family and may he R.I.P :'( been crying since seeing this video
Gwen260 3 years ago 2
I just saw the documentary about David here... This is very sad, really. I hope I knew the boy more because it feels that we have something in common... even though we've never met. Peace be upon you David, I hope you came to a better place.
Even though we all had a chance to discover the outside world, we were are all stuck in our bubbles... but you David, even though you were stuck in that bubble, you understood the outerside world more than any of us would have ever imagined. Peace
gazn92 3 years ago
at first i'd like to tell you how and beautiful video have u made. that guys dezurves it. he had to be in that bubble for so many yoears and we just can't imagine how many strength must he had to do this. he never could to that things that other kids have done and do it still. and i just adore that guy. i adore the strength he had that he could do this all over and he didn't give up...till the end came.
bjuble 3 years ago
That was a remarkable boy. If I had to live my life like that when I was his age, I'm certain I would have cracked under the strain. This kid had impressive inner strength.
daesim 3 years ago
:( poor boy :(
IslamicKurdi 3 years ago
Wonderful video, very moving. Just an incredible story.
greigvanwyk 3 years ago
I couldn't imagine going through the things that people like David and Ted De Vita did. It must have been very difficult for them. Great tribute video, btw.
idaltuguy 3 years ago 2
Oh yes, i'm sure. And both so different in experience, because David - it was all he knew since he was born, whereas Ted lived the first 10 years of his life fine, but then got that horrible disease and suddenly had to go in. Such dangerous and strange lives for two remarkable people.
Ramanujan88 3 years ago
I've never heard of Ted, but it's crazy when you think of all the medical advances that have occured since the mid 80's. Nowadays kids w/o little or no immunities have better options and a higher chance of survival!
soundsfromnothing 3 years ago
Yes! And because of Ted and David, they no longer offer long term isolation as a treatment.
Ramanujan88 3 years ago
Good point! I know it was traumatic for David, and he didn't even like the mobile suit that they made for him. Being cooped up in his isolation chambers, (for lack of a better term) I think, made him somewhat fearful of the world out there. At the same time, there was an eagerness in him to explore it. He rarely saw the world outside his house or the hospital, except when he was moved from one place to another & (of course) just previous to his death.
soundsfromnothing 3 years ago
Contrary to the news, he was terribly frightened and a lot of the great stress he had was desire to see the world. I remember one story, he used to think trees were just flat colored shapes like in books. His teacher brought in a real branch with leaves and it filled him with wonder. Then, so understandably, he would grow angry. "Why do you teach me thes things?!" It's not like he could touch them. I can't imagine that glorious moment before his death when his mom held him for the first time.
Ramanujan88 3 years ago
Thanks for the info. :) I didn't know that his teacher would bring in things like tree branches to show him; It makes sense though (seeing as how they hoped he would be cured someday). I know what you mean, it must have been bittersweet for his mother. She would finally get to hold her son, for the 1st & last time (makes me sad). Not sure if I have this right, but did the Doctors start teaching him more (about germs) because he had stuck holes in the bubble?
soundsfromnothing 3 years ago
As far as I know, that's correct. When he was four, he got some butterfly pin and started popping holes in the bubble. The doctors figured it was time to let him know. He became a lot more quieter and serious then. I agree with you about people wanting to show him all they could, hoping he would one day come out, and I'm sure his parents wanted to give him as much as a normal life as they could.
Ramanujan88 3 years ago
Once he reached age 4, i think his fear started...the doctors started making him aware how the germs would get him. He used to have constant nightmares, and his imagination being great, he would pretend to fight them, he'd kill all the germs, but more would come and there was always "the king of the germs" which he could never get to. I can't help wonder if and how he would have come out if that final operation worked. He was always looking out the window, just wanting to...
Ramanujan88 3 years ago
Oh, this song...
fitzgeraldfountain55 3 years ago
SO SAD :(
moepsp 3 years ago 2