Bursting the Bubble: The Tortured Life and Untimely Death of David Vetter

by Mary Ada Murphy, Raymond J. Lawrence

He was known around the world as the “Bubble Boy”. Now told for the first time by the person who was his caretaker and confidant, Bursting the Bubble is the heart-rending story of the life and death of David Vetter. Due to the scientific zeal of doctors and religious authorities, and the compliance of his trusting family, he lived his life in a sterile chamber bereft of human touch from birth until a few days before his death at age 12 and a half.Mary Ada Murphy, Ph.D., was a child psychologist on staff at St. Luke’s-Texas Children’s Hospital throughout David Vetter’s life and became his closest friend and confidant. She was with him when he died. She received the Hadassah Myrtle Wreath Award in 1985 in recognition of her outstanding achievement in the psychological support of David Vetter and his family. Raymond J. Lawrence, whom Murphy entrusted with the Bursting the Bubble manuscript and writes an introduction to it, was the hospital chaplain in place during David’s early years, and who convened the only formal ethics consultation on the Vetter case.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Medicine

317 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2019

Reviews

[Brittany Elizabeth]

Something that has stuck with me, was when the author approached David’s mother about writing this book, and how he felt that it wouldn’t encapsulate who David truly was, because David held a different face with every person. The mother’s response, was that this book would still be David’s ‘truth’ because he provided and ‘put on’ a different truth to every person in his life.
David was an extremely troubled boy (understandably), and it seems as if he was the most authentic when around the author, as they had such a close relationship. After reading, I found photos online of David inside his bubble, from all ages of life. Every single one was heart wrenching. The title speaks for itself. A devastating life for the boy himself, and those who loved him.

[Sarah Cullen]

Enjoyable and emotional

I really enjoyed this book, it inspired me to get back into reading. It's easy to read but can seem a little frantic at times. The topic is emotional and by the end it has me in tears.

[Han]

I picked up this book after reading about the “bubble boy” online and wanting a book that offered more depth. This book was disappointing. It was really boring. The history itself is crushing and that did leave me with complex feelings about how David was treated.

[Andre Persson]

Having read about David Vetter online I was curious to find out more, and I picked up this book.

It gives a great overview of Davids life, from that he was born and put into the bubble since the doctors in charge believed a cure to his immune disease to be just around the corner, to his growing up inside the bubble and becoming aware of the unique situation he was in, to his sad death at 12 years old.

Since it was written by someone very close to him it creates an intimate portrait of David and his struggles as a child and his struggles with his mental health due to his life in the bubble.

As a father myself it moved me very much and I would highly recommend it to others who are curious about the true story of the boy in the bubble.