David Vetter (1971-1984) suffered from severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), a disease that required him to live inside a sterile environment, a plastic “bubble.” Eventually, he tested a special suit developed by NASA so that he could venture out of his bubble. Vetter’s story partially inspired the 1976 TV movie “The Boy in the Plastic Bubble,” starring John Travolta (full film below), the asinine 2001 comedy “Bubble Boy,” and a Seinfeld episode. Vetter’s life and tragic death continues to help physicians understand and treat immunodeficiency diseases.
