David Vetter, forever known as the “Bubble Boy,” was born in 1971 with Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID), a genetic disorder that left him without a functioning immune system. From birth, David was placed in a sterile plastic bubble, designed to protect him from infections that his body couldn’t fight. His story touched millions, highlighting the struggles of living in extreme isolation, where even a simple human touch could be fatal.

David wasn’t the first in his family to suffer from SCID. His older brother had died from the disease in infancy, and his parents, Carol Ann, and David Vetter, faced a difficult choice when doctors warned them their next child had a 50% chance of inheriting the same condition. They chose to continue with the pregnancy, and David was born and immediately placed in a plastic isolator, where he would spend his entire life.

NASA engineers designed a special spacesuit for David, which allowed him to leave the bubble briefly. Yet, despite the advances, his life remained heartbreakingly confined, unable to experience the world freely. At age 12, after undergoing a bone marrow transplant from his sister in an attempt to cure his condition, David tragically passed away due to lymphoma caused by the Epstein-Barr virus, inadvertently introduced during the procedure.

David’s legacy continues to impact the medical community. The experimental therapies, aided by his blood cells, have since helped children with SCID live full, healthy lives. His life and untimely death are a reminder of both the limits and hope of medical science, even in the face of insurmountable challenges.