On this day: February 22
The pilgrims get their first taste of popcorn, George Washington is born, Elvis hits the charts for the first time, and Team USA pulls off a "Miracle on Ice," all on this day.
1984: David Vetter, who was born with severe combined immunodeficiency, a disorder that causes the immune system to not work, and was known in media reports as "David, the bubble boy," dies from Burkitt's lymphoma at the age of 12 in Montgomery County, Texas. David lived his entire life in a sterile environment to avoid a fatal infection. The only cure at the time was a bone marrow transplant, and none of his family members was a match. At the age of 12, doctors decided to attempt an unmatched transplant from his sister, but while it initially appeared successful, David became ill a few months later. His autopsy revealed that the donor bone marrow contained traces of a dormant virus, Epstein-Barr, which had been undetectable in the pre-transplant screening. Although his name was known by the media, it was withheld in news reports it in order to give David and his family privacy. His last name was not revealed to the general public until 10 years after his death.
