David Vetter

American sufferer of severe combined immunodeficiency (1971–1984)

  • Fame55.3
  • Momentum5.5
  • Wikipedia15.8K
Source-basedRising
Lived 1971–1984, aged 13United States
  • Wikipedia
    16 languages
    Cross-language footprint
  • Era
    1971–1984
    Aged 13
Summary
Updated 2026-08-13

David Phillip Vetter was an American boy with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID), a hereditary disease that dramatically weakens the immune system. Individuals born with SCID are abnormally susceptible to infections, and exposure to typically innocuous pathogens can be fatal. Vetter was referred to as "David, the bubble boy" by the media, as a reference to the complex containment system used as part of the management of his SCID. Vetter's surname was not revealed to the general public until 10 years after his death in order to preserve his family's privacy.

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Fame
Rising
55.3
Composite of search demand, mentions, audience & graph footprint.
Score components
Momentum5.5
Historical14.3
Source confidence65.0
Completeness55.0
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