Maybe a little older. During production, Spielberg twice accommodated the child actress when frightened; when scared by performing a particular stunt, Spielberg replaced O'Rourke with a stunt double wearing a blonde wig, and when disturbed by the portrayal of child abuse, Spielberg did not require her to perform the take again. She is survived by : her parents, Shawn O'Rourke and Evelyn O'Rourke; her sister Tara Harrison; and her brother-in-law John Harrison. pressStar of Poltergeist Heather ORourke was killed by a Hollywood pedophile ring. Finally the family turns to a parapsychologist to exorcise the demons. Heather tragically died in 1988 aged just 12-years-old from intestinal stenosis after a bowel obstruction had caused a fatal infection that brought on septic shock resulting in cardiac arrest. She contracted an intestinal parasite last winter, probably from well water at her former home in Big Bear, and her doctors assumed the parasite inflamed the intestine, he said. GREAT NEWS! O'Rourke was nominated for a collective six Young Artist Awards, one of which was won for her performance on the series Webster in 1985. Of her many achievements, Heather stated that she was proudest of being elected student body president of her 5th grade class in 1985. Failed to delete memorial. Only Heather O'Rourke and Zelda Rubinstein reprising their roles from the previous films. You have chosen this person to be their own family member. 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. But that following Monday she was dead and the only thing we wanted to know is why?. Doctors performed CPR for over 30 minutes, but O'Rourke was pronounced dead at 2:43 that afternoon. Actress. The lights were focused on her and she couldnt really see out to the audience. She had an older sister, Tammy O'Rourke, also an actress. Thirty yards away is the grave of one-time child star Natalie Wood, who drowned off Santa Catalina Island in 1981 at age 43, and another 100 feet away is the crypt of Marilyn Monroe, who died at 36 of a drug overdose in 1962. Doused in superstition fueled by a handful of mysterious deaths of its cast members. The email does not appear to be a valid email address. Remove advertising from a memorial by sponsoring it for just $5. Heather Marie O'Rourke Obituary. That theater company prides itself in being the oldest experimental theater group in the United States. The shock prompted full cardiac and pulmonary arrest, the spokeswoman said. Congenital bowel narrowing very easily could have caused her sudden death even after years of living without any symptoms. It just didnt make any sense. I was the same age as the actress coming in. Carol Ann is sucked into a light source coming from a closet, and her helpless parents are left only with her screams. February 28, 2022, 7:19 pm, by Year should not be greater than current year. In the first Polgergeist movie, the blond youngsters character warned Theyre heeeere 3/8 In the sequel, it was Theyre baaaack 3/8. She is best remembered for her roles of 'Carol Anne Freeling' in the Poltergeist horror movie franchise (1982, 1986, and 1988). Now, a top attorney has come forward with evidence that Heather was raped by powerful movie business elites on the set of a TV show called "Rocky Road." Search above to list available cemeteries. But it is plausible that as her intestinal muscles above the narrowing strained to push material through that opening that very easily could have caused increased widening of the bowel tissue. Heather Michele O'Rourke was born on December 27, 1975 in Santee, San Diego, 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. Verify and try again. California, to Kathleen, a seamstress, and Michael O'Rourke, a construction worker. Did a Jerry Lewis MDA telethon in August 1986; was part of a child actors' panel that answered phones to take viewers' donations. Estill, a family friend, said Heather wanted two things in her life. Try again later. But its also equally possible that the bowel narrowing could have come on suddenly due to inflammation. We had been shooting for months and I was old news. An infection could have caused the bowel to rupture or become torn at which point infection and bacteria could have entered into her bloodstream leading to sepsis. Anyway, nows your turn to let your voice be heard. Los Angeles chef John Sweeney was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced in November, 1983, to the maximum 6 1/2 years in prison. Her agent, David Wardlowe, said she had been rushed to the hospital after complaining of abdominal pain. Your new password must contain one or more uppercase and lowercase letters, and one or more numbers or special characters. But some people seem to think that its one of the most cursed films in Hollywoods history as well. Meyer said a section of Heathers intestine burst after ballooning to 4 inches in diameter. It was one of the best TV shows during the Golden Age of Television in the USA. Her parents divorced in 1981, and O'Rourke's mother married part-time truck . Miss Dunne, then 22, who played Heathers older sister, had tried to break off her relationship with her boyfriend. Prepare a personalized obituary for someone you loved.. Echovita offers a solidarity program that gives back the funds generated to families. Heather was 5 and sitting in the MGM commissary, said her former manager, Mike Meyer. You may not upload any more photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 20 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 5 photos to this memorial, This photo was not uploaded because this memorial already has 30 photos, This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. Its speculated that Heather ORourkes underlying health issues might have congenital in nature. His next major role was as Crazy Horse in the 1977 western film The White Buffalo. Some doctors concluded that it was this parasite that caused her intestines to become inflamed. Healthy section to both of its sides. [21] O'Rourke went on to reprise the role of Carol Anne Freeling in the second and third installments, Poltergeist II: The Other Side in 1986 and Poltergeist III in 1988 respectively; unlike its predecessor, the films garnered mixed reviews,[22][23][24] although O'Rourke's performances were praised. Try again later. Proudly powered by WordPress. You can send your sympathy in the guestbook provided and share it with the family. Heathers open pink-and-gray metal casket was set amid several floral arrangements. Thanks to his time portraying the titular character on the hit Disney series Zorro. [1][2] She went on to reprise the role in Poltergeist II: The Other Side (1986) and Poltergeist III (1988), the latter of which was released posthumously. based on information from your browser. Heather Michele O'Rourke was born on December 27, 1975, in San Diego,[3][4] to Kathleen and Michael O'Rourke. But instead, she developed the condition all of a sudden. The narrowing of the bowel not even discovered until after she underwent surgery. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. She survived the surgery, but suffered another cardiac arrest while in the recovery room. On January 31, 1988, O'Rourke suddenly became ill again, vomiting and unable to keep anything down. Some subscribers to this spooky curse even feared that it might have even carried over to the critically panned 2015 remake film. 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 Heather tragically died in 1988 aged just 12-years-old from intestinal stenosis after a bowel obstruction had caused a fatal infection that brought on septic shock resulting in cardiac arrest. 43 Photos Heather Michele O'Rourke was born on December 27, 1975 in Santee, San Diego, California, to Kathleen, a seamstress, and Michael O'Rourke, a construction worker. bringing others pleasure while doing something I like. View all Heather O'Rourke pictures. Flowers added to the memorial appear on the bottom of the memorial or here on the Flowers tab. About This Site. The second was, Theyre baaaack! which was featured in the sequel. To view a photo in more detail or edit captions for photos you added, click the photo to open the photo viewer. Then three of the guys took her to a different area of the studio., pressThere are claims Steve Spielberg has information on Heather ORourkes death, Heather was acting in the eighties and she was not yet a tween, had hit films and television appearances / this matches, ENT LAWYER claims this girl was first molested at 5 or 6, Heather was discovered by Steven Speilberg and had her first acting role at the age of 5 in a show called Fantasy Island / this matches, The exact television show set that these events occurred on cannot be verified 100% but the clues seem to lead to Rocky Road as it was filmed in the same studio as jeopardy (which is still running today) and Pewee Herman (who is alluded to for being busted masturbating in a theater) /this matches or at least makes sense, A medic needed to be called because something had been inserted into the girl which ended up eventually killing her / this could match as Heather died of bowel problems. All photos appear on this tab and here you can update the sort order of photos on memorials you manage. Please reset your password. On this day in horror history, Gary Sherman's Poltergeist III was released in 1988. Try again later. . Facts Verse He was only 53 years old. 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. MARY FRANCES COYNE passed away on January 15, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio. [7] At the time of her death, the family was living in Lakeside, California, a suburb of San Diego. To all who knew her, she was genuine. On Saturday she was symptom-free. Thanks for your help! Poltergeist III was her final feature release before her death in 1988. San Diego, San Diego County, California, USA. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate, or jump to a slide with the slide dots. 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. They had her walk around under the lights. They knew I would do what they wanted, but they always wanted someone new. [9][12], In Poltergeist, O'Rourke played Carol Anne Freeling, a young suburban girl who becomes the conduit and target for supernatural entities. Please complete the captcha to let us know you are a real person. However, she died at the age of 12 on an operating table in The Children's Hospital of San Diego. Young had to be put on life support after Sweeney strangled her in a fit of rage. Are you sure that you want to remove this flower? She was sitting alone in the MGM Commissary waiting for her mother when a stranger approached her asking her name. Steven Spielberg, who co-wrote and produced the first of the Poltergeist series, saw her and asked if he could talk to her. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. Heather O'Rourke (December 27, 1975 - February 1, 1988) was an American child actress. Facts Verse Heathers parents, who live in Big Bear but are also believed to have a home in San Diego, were too distraught to comment, Wardlowe said. (cardiopulmonary arrest and intestinal stenosis). A similar kind of procedure is often performed for those suffering from Crohns disease or similar inflammatory bowel disease. The most recent obituary and service information is available at the Prevatt Funeral Home - Hudson website. "Millie" Tertinek March 11, 2016, Elizabeth "Betty" Stefanski February 14, 2016, Patricia "Patti PP" Perks February 13, 2016, William "Bill" Schreckengost October 17, 2015, Carmen Rose Jimerson-Kettle April 16, 2015, Mary Genevieve Conlan LoPresto January 29, 2015, Arielle Josephine Lounsbury Loftus January 23, 2015, Anna Belle Boardman Cricks December 13, 2014, Dorothy I. Harrison Jacoby August 16,2014, Virginia "Ginny" Marie Hill August 7, 2014, James S. "Woogie" Redeye Jr. March 6, 2014, Catherine T. Vecchiarella January 30, 2014, Michael "Noodles" "Beav" Newark January 11,2014, Elizabeth "Betty" L. Sluga November 9, 2013, Constance "Connie" J. Prybylo October 25, 2013, Colonel John "Jack" Caruso October 25, 2013, Radolph "Rudy" J. LaBelle October 21, 2013, Judith "Judy" Whitcomb-Rhodes October 20, 2013, Johnalaen LuAnn Vicky Abrams June 7, 2013, Deborah "lil deb" Degrenier March 23, 2013, Melanie A. Horton Hubbard January 4, 2013, Tamara "Tami" Krause Silverman December 31, 2012, William "Butch" Oldshield October 11, 2011, Robert Douglas White Eagle September 28, 2011, Cecilia R. Prusinowski September 11, 2011, Sandra Faye Redeye Brady September 21, 2010, Christine Schreckengost November 27, 2009, Francis "Frank" Nickola September 19, 2009, Elizabeth "Betty" Printup October 24,2008, Myron Charles "Bull Moose" Bova March 15, 2008, Dolores (Dee) Hitchcock Hogan January 7, 2008, Mildred "Millie" Nugent September 27, 2007, Clara Springer Harold Exner August 29, 2007, Gladys Bertha Touro Brennan April 15, 2007. Well address those concerns in a few minutes so dont you dare go anywhere just yet. Estill, a family friend, said Heather wanted two things in life. U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current, Canada, Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current, Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Sadly, Heather went into cardiac arrest while shes being transported to the hospital. Continuing with this request will add an alert to the cemetery page and any new volunteers will have the opportunity to fulfill your request. Such narrowing typically reduces bowel diameter to one-eighth inch instead of the normal half inch, impeding movement of food and fluid through the bowel. The show took placearounda beach just so they could make these girls wear next to nothing. The shock prompted full cardiac and pulmonary arrest. [14] Poltergeist would go on to receive a cult following and critical acclaim, garnering three Academy Award nominations[15] and a Young Artist Award nomination for O'Rourke. Funeral date Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park & Mortuary 1218 Glendon Ave, in Los Angeles, Los Angeles . In a world of plastics, she was real, the Rev. Died a sudden and violent death shortly after its debut in 1983. Heather always looked like Alice in Wonderland and could memorize a 60-page script in about an hour, Meyer said. Facts Verse You can always change this later in your Account settings. But regardless of what actually ended her life. by You need a Find a Grave account to continue. cemeteries found within kilometers of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. There are no events at this time. But unfortunately, she died just five days later. New generations of fans fall in love with the iconic sitcom by watching its reruns. [16] "They're here!" Hot ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE! What proved to be her final film will be released this summer, he added. When intestinal narrowing is obvious, the defect is corrected by surgically removing the narrow section and connecting the normal sections on both sides, the experts said. The girl was wearing a bikini. Heather is the second actress from the Poltergeist movies to die young. January 9, 2023, 4:41 pm, by Theme: Bushwick by James Dinsdale. That would make me happy because I'd be To this day, it inspires many Western TV shows and films and fans are eager to spread the word about the show to a new generation. Hollander speculated that Heathers bowel narrowing might not have been congenital but could have developed suddenly due to inflammation. is ranked No. Hyman said congenital narrowing of the small intestine occurs in roughly one of every 50,000 live births, while such narrowing of the large intestine is about 10 times more rare. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/1173/heather-o'rourke. Sampson suffered from a chronic degenerative condition called scleroderma which compromised his heart, lungs, and skin. Heather O'Rourke's Tragic Death at 12 Years Old (Poltergeist Child Star) about a year ago 7.4k Views Heather O'Rourke got her start in Hollywood playing Heather Pfister. He would end up having to fight an even tougher battle [] More, What could be more mysterious than an island filled with buried treasure? Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. The young actor playedCarol-Anne Freeling in all three of Steven SpielbergsPoltergeistfilms and also had parts in popular TV showsWebsterandHappy Days. Thanks for using Find a Grave, if you have any feedback we would love to hear from you. 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. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. Please try again later. Portrayed by stars Vivian Vance and William Frawley. After her work in Poltergeist (1982), O'Rourke secured several television and TV movie roles. There was an error deleting this problem. You can send your sympathy in the guestbook provided and share it with the family. Essentially, what that means in laymens terms is that she died of a shock brought on by an infection that entered into her bloodstream. It must have been blinding for her. 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