https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1173/heather-o'rourke. Heather O'Rourke Was NOT Killed By 'Hollywood Pedophile Ring' Fact checked December 12, 2017 Sean Adl-Tabatabai Entertainment 6 Comments 11.1k SHARES Editors correction: The original story detailed claims by a self-professed 'entertainment lawyer' that Poltergeist child star Heather O'Rourke was raped and murdered by Hollywood studio executives. Verify and try again. The defect usually is apparent at birth because it causes severe abdominal pain, vomiting and nausea, Hollander said, adding that it is very rare for the disorder to kill an older child who lacked prior symptoms. I would have expected a lot of (digestive) difficulties throughout her life and not just to have developed a problem all of a sudden, said Dr. Daniel Hollander, head of gastroenterology at University of California, Irvine, Medical Center. Heather, who was also seen regularly on televisions Happy Days, Webster and Still the Beaver, brought two catch phrases into the language with the first two Poltergeists. The first was, Theyre heeeere! which she said with eerie calm after coming into contact with strange forces while peering into an apparently blank TV screen. The following morning, she collapsed in her home, and was rushed to Community Hospital in El Cajon. Moderate bowel narrowing at birth might not cause symptoms, but a lack of symptoms before age 12 would be distinctly unusual, said Dr. Paul Hyman, chief of pediatric gastroenterology at Harbor-University of California, Los Angeles, Medical Center. Please enter your email address and we will send you an email with a reset password code. That game show is still on today. He would have expected her to already have had a great deal of digestive problems throughout her life. In early 1987, O'Rourke became ill with giardiasis, which she contracted from well water at her family's home in Big Bear Lake. 7.5k Views. Of all the things she was proud of, he added, (she was proudest of) being elected president of her fifth grade class at Big Bear Elementary School., Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Want to solve climate change? She was completely healthy Saturday, they thought she had the flu on Sunday and she was dead on Monday., Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. LOS ANGELES (AP) _ The death of 12-year-old Poltergeist actress Heather O'Rourke was distinctly unusual because she lacked prior symptoms of the bowel defect that reportedly killed her, gastrointestinal doctors say. New generations of fans fall in love with the iconic sitcom by watching its reruns. She had an older sister, Tammy O'Rourke, also an actress. The condition led to him becoming malnourished and after undergoing a risky heart and lung transplant at Houston Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas, Sampson died of post-op kidney failure on June 3, 1987. To all who knew her, she was genuine. She also showed an amazing ability to memorize, and often showed up on sets with all of the lines fully memorized. She was 12. Thanks for your help! Mike Meyer, Heather ORourkes manager and lawyer. As well by instead suggesting that her death instead caused by some kind of birth defect. But unfortunately, she died just five days later. There is very little disagreement over the fact that her demise was extremely unusual. On Saturday she was symptom-free. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. The series make millions of viewers [] More, Heather ORourkes Tragic Death at 12 Years Old (Poltergeist Child Star), Yvonne Craig Reveals the Role That Ended Her Career (Batgirl), Vintage Hollywood Photos That Captured More Than Expected, Scientists Discovered Evidence That Exposes An Ancient Lie About Woolly Mammoths, Handlers Thought This Owl Was Male For 23 Years Then He Laid An Egg, This Baby Elephant Decided To Spend His Last Days Alongside This Creature, Woman Adpots Tiny, Adorable Puppy. Her agent, David Wardlowe, said she had been rushed to the hospital after complaining of abdominal pain. That theater company prides itself in being the oldest experimental theater group in the United States. You are only allowed to leave one flower per day for any given memorial. 'Poltergeist' Star Heather O'Rourke Dies at Age of 12 By BURT A. FOLKART Feb. 3, 1988 12 AM PT Times Staff Writer Heather O'Rourke, the terrified youngster sucked into a spectral vacuum. And so [] More, Anna May Wong made history during Hollywoods Golden Age by becoming the first notable Asian-American actress in the industry. O'Rourke & O'Rourke Inc. Funeral Home : Obituaries : Salamanca NY 14779 Home About Us Pre Need Resources Gallery Obituaries Directions Contact Us Obituaries 2022 William E. Goodman October 13, 2022 Stephen P. Myers Jr. October 13, 2022 Natasha L. Rychcik October 9, 2022 Catherine A. Benjamin October 8, 2022 Donald D. Rowland October 6, 2022 Okay, maybe those last details dont do much in the way of convincing anyone of the curse, but the four deaths from the original cast members still rubs us the wrong way. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? Try again later. Los Angeles chef John Sweeney was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced in November, 1983, to the maximum 6 1/2 years in prison. Are you sure that you want to delete this memorial? Sorry! You can customize the cemeteries you volunteer for by selecting or deselecting below. Meyer said a section of Heathers intestine burst after ballooning to 4 inches in diameter. Julian Beck sadly never got the chance to see the release of the second film in the trilogy. Description: Born Heather Michele O'Rourke on 27 December 1975 in Santee, San Diego, California, Heather entered American cinematic pop-culture before she entered first grade. Heather always looked like Alice in Wonderland and could memorize a 60-page script in about an hour, Meyer said. Miss Dunne, then 22, who played Heathers older sister, had tried to break off her relationship with her boyfriend. January 9, 2023, 4:37 pm, by January 19, 2022, 6:17 pm, by Beck, who was far more than just an actor, was an avid lover of the arts. January 9, 2023, 4:20 pm, Trending [5], On January 31, 1988, O'Rourke began exhibiting flu-like symptoms. Basic information Born December 27, 1975 Birthplace San Diego, California, USA Died February 1, 1988 (aged 12) Deathplace San Diego, California, US Gender Female Character information Appeared on Happy Days Appeared as Heather Pfister Episodes appeared in On January 31, 1988, O'Rourke suddenly became ill again, vomiting and unable to keep anything down. She had her breakthrough starring as Carol Anne Freeling in the supernatural horror film Poltergeist (1982), which received critical acclaim and established her as an influential figure in the genre. Weve all been blessed to share in the love of Heather, Estill concluded. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. The doctors determined that the cause of death was intestinal stenosis, a severe bowel obstruction which the girl had since birth. Heather O'Rourke - Poltergeist - 1982 / Part - "Funeral" - YouTube 0:00 / 0:41 Heather O'Rourke - Poltergeist - 1982 / Part - "Funeral" 41,371 views Jul 24, 2009 Heather Michele. We just might jinks it. However, she is most famous for portraying Carol Anne Fleming in the hit 1982 Steven Spielberg film Poltergeist and its two sequels. bringing others pleasure while doing something I like. According to available data, congenital narrowing of the small intestine only occurs in about one in 50,000 live births. Throughout his life he proved himself to be quite the talented director, poet, and painter in addition to being a gifted actor. The second was, Theyre baaaack! which was featured in the sequel. Heather ORourkes unexpected death in 1988 at the age of 12 sent shock waves across the entertainment industry. the Extra-Terrestrial. The fact that this poor girl died at such a young age is already heartbreaking but if there is any credibility to these claims it seems at least possible that some foul play was involved in her death. Although she achieved much fame and instant recognition in her Poltergeist roles, she never let it go to her head, and was always friendly to her classmates, never refusing to give her autograph. Learn about how to make the most of a memorial. O'Rourke & O'Rourke Inc. Funeral Home 25 River Street Salamanca, New York 14779 (716) 945-4760 Serving Our Friends Since 1896 For 120 years, the O'Rourke & O'Rourke, Inc. Funeral Home has been dedicated to providing exceptional service and style. Terry Merryman, spokeswoman for Childrens Hospital of San Diego, said Heather died Monday of septic shock due to congenital stenosis of the lower intestine, or bowel. However, congenital bowel narrowing could cause sudden death after years without symptoms if infection caused the bowel to rupture or become perforated, said Dr. Frank Sinatra, head of gastroenterology at Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles. They brought her out and the front four rows of this theatre were filled with guys who were already rubbing themselves. That means she died of shock caused by infection in the blood, which in turn was caused by a birth defect that made a section of her intestine abnormally narrow. The films featured her rescue from the clutches of reanimated corpses seeking revenge for desecrating graves. . The actor who played Carol Annes most fierce opponent, the doomsday cult leader Kane, was the next person to fall victim to the supposed Poltergeist Curse. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. You can send your sympathy in the guestbook provided and share it with the family. Between films, she showed up in such television shows as Fantasy Island, Webster, CHiPs, Happy Days, and the New Leave It to Beaver. She was filming Poltergeist III. However, many audience members didnt realize that. [19][20] She also appeared in CHiPs, Webster, The New Leave It to Beaver, Our House, and had a recurring role on Happy Days as Heather Pfister. In a world of plastics, she was real, the Rev. Mike Meyer, the actress manager and lawyer, said Heather didnt suffer chronic digestive problems, and the bowel narrowing wasnt discovered until she underwent surgery and died on the operating table after suffering cardiac arrest en route to the hospital. Finally the family turns to a parapsychologist to exorcise the demons. You sure that you want to remove this flower can update the sort order of photos on memorials manage. Script in about an hour, meyer said a section of Heathers intestine burst after ballooning to 4 in. 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