These Hollywood Star’s Twins Nearly Died as Doctors Fought for Their Lives for 40 Hours — The Blonde-Haired Survivors Are Now 16

• Sixteen years ago, Hollywood actor Dennis Quaid welcomed his twins, Zoe and Thomas.
• His joy was short-lived when a medical error put the twins’ lives in danger.
• The medical team fought tirelessly for 40 hours, and the twins survived this ordeal.
• Today, they are thriving teenagers, with curly blonde hair.

Dennis Quaid is an established Hollywood actor. He has captivated audiences since his breakout role in 1979’s “Breaking Away.” His versatile acting skills have seen him play a myriad of roles.

He has portrayed a lawman’s sidekick and an unfaithful husband. He has also portrayed a 1960s sheriff and even a crazed stalker.

His remarkable performances have secured him a lasting legacy in Hollywood history. However, Dennis, 70, has another role he cherishes the most – that of a father.

Before 2007, he was a doting father to a son. But on November 8, 2007, his family expanded to include twins Zoe and Thomas. The joy of becoming a father to the twins was a moment of pure bliss for the devoted dad.

“We were so happy to be blessed by those two. They both came out so perfect,” Dennis would later recall. “The Parent Trap” actor and his wife Kimberly Buffington were over the moon.

Their twins were healthy and so they took them home. Their joy, however, was short-lived. The twins, born healthy and vibrant, were soon back in the hospital.

They were battling serious staph infections. Doctors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center administered antibiotics intravenously. For a moment, it seemed like the twins were on the mend.

But that night, Kimberly had a gut feeling that something was amiss. They got a nurse’s assurance that everything was fine. But they would later discover that their twins were in grave danger.

While the twins entered the world, their elder brother, Jack Quaid, was already forging his path into the entertainment industry. Born to Dennis and his second wife, actress Meg Ryan, Jack spent much of his childhood on film sets.

He grew up with friends who also had parents in the industry, so it didn’t feel special to him. But as he grew up, he realized how unique it was to have two parents as actors. Jack gained an interest in acting at a young age.

He attended Crossroads High School in Santa Monica and later NYU Tisch School of the Arts. Like his father, he dropped out of college to pursue an acting career.

Born in April 1992, Jack was fortunate to be the son of two successful actors. Thus, one would expect that he would gain an easy entry into Hollywood.

Yet, he chose to carve his own path. He never asked his parents for advice on how to perform a scene and they never gave it. Nonetheless, they supported him wholeheartedly whenever he needed it.

“It’s lucky that I got to grow up saying, ‘Hey I want to be an actor’ and they understood that,” Jack said. He appreciated his parents’ support but wanted to make it without their help.

Dennis shared on “The Kelly Clarkson Show” that he had offered to find an agent to represent Jack. However, Jack asserted, “No I want to do it on my own.” He then went on to get himself an agent and not long after, he landed his first role.

Now a successful actor, Jack, who will turn 32 in less than two weeks has made his father proud. He is grateful for the opportunity to live in the worlds he once only dreamed of. Jack made his acting debut in 2012 with a role in “The Hunger Games.”

His career took a significant turn in 2016 when he joined the main cast of the series, “Vinyl.” However, it was in 2019 that Jack truly made his mark in the industry. He landed a leading role in the popular series “The Boys.”

He captivated audiences with his portrayal of the vigilante, Hughie Campbell. This role served as his breakout moment, firmly establishing him in the acting world.

His father shared with Kelly Clarkson, “[Jack] is just a really… even more than an actor. He has just really turned out to be a really fine man.”

Dennis is known for his larger-than-life personality. As a father of three, he confesses that he can sometimes be a loud presence in his children’s lives. He admits to being a dorky dad, especially around his teenage daughter.

He acknowledges that navigating the teenage years can be a bit clumsy. Yet, despite these sentiments, Dennis relishes his role as a father. He beams with pride for his children Jack, Thomas, and Zoe.

He delights in witnessing their growth and evolution. He looks back at his own adolescence, recognizing that his kids, like him, are on a path of self-exploration.

Given his deep love for his children, it’s clear that the medical crisis involving his twins must have been a harrowing experience. On the second day following the infants’ hospitalization, they appeared to be in good health.

Interpreting the infants’ progress as a sign, the new parents decided to return home for some much-needed rest. That night, Kimberly felt uneasy and they called the hospital. The nurse who answered reassured them of the twins’ positive progress.

After receiving this assurance, they decided to wait until the morning. However, upon their arrival at the hospital the next day, they were met with devastating news from the medical team. “This started probably the worst day of our lives,” Dennis confessed.

The medical staff had accidentally administered two potent doses of Heparin to the twins. This medicine is a blood-thinning agent. Dennis later recounted that the twins had received a dose a thousand times higher than intended.

This caused their blood to become as thin as water. Upon seeing their infants, they were horrified to find them bruised and discolored. Kimberly described it as a “bad sight,” as the twins were bleeding out. A chain of errors had led to this overdose.

The mix-up began with a pharmacy technician. They had erroneously placed high-dose bottles of Heparin in the same bin as the low-dose bottles. Subsequently, a nurse picked up a bottle from the bin without verifying the label, resulting in the overdose.

Dennis highlighted that similar errors had occurred nationwide. Sadly, some cases have resulted in deaths. He suspected that his twins’ initial overdose happened while he and Kimberly were present.

They did not have much knowledge and were oblivious at the time. For a grueling 40 hours, the Quaid twins were under intense medical supervision. Their parents were in shock, with Dennis describing it as the “scariest day” of their lives.

After two days, the twins’ condition began to stabilize as the effects of the blood thinner subsided. Dennis deduced that Thomas and Zoe had survived this ordeal for a purpose.

He asserted that the children were destined to “change the world in some way.” He later voiced his conviction that this incident heightened public awareness about the significance of computerized record-keeping and barcoding in hospitals.

When the twins reached four months of age, Dennis expressed his delight in fatherhood and his renewed appreciation for life. “If they hadn’t made it, it really would have changed my life. But they did survive. So it changed my attitude,” he stated.

Following the intensely distressing ordeal, the couple initiated a lawsuit against the manufacturer of Heparin. They accused it of negligence for packaging adult and pediatric doses in similar vials.

The hospital was penalized $25,000 by state regulators for the overdoses administered to the Quaid twins and another newborn. In October 2012, after eight years of marriage, the parents of the twins filed for separation.

Kimberly had initially filed for divorce in March, citing “discord or conflict of personalities.” However, she postponed the divorce late in April to work on their marriage.

After several years of separation and reconciliation, they finalized their divorce in the spring of 2018. By then, the twins were 9 and doing well. As the twins reached the age of 10 they were flourishing.

Dennis revealed that his children’s well-being is his measure of happiness. As they’ve matured, he has shared more about what he loves most about his role as a dad. Among his treasured experiences is the morning school run with his two youngest.

He shared that mornings are the best time to connect with his kids. Waking them up and having breakfast together, he gets to know them better.

“They’re as fresh as they’re going to get. It’s not the witching hour at night when it’s time to go to bed and all the excuses come out,” he said. Mornings are for bonding and chatting about life. These morning moments mean the world to him.

Fast forward to the present, the Quaid twins have grown into healthy 16-year-olds. Their wavy blonde hair matches their vibrant personalities. Over the years, the family has been spotted at various events, their bond evident in the shared smiles and laughter.

Dennis and Kimberly enjoyed a live performance with their two-year-old twins.

Dennis was captured holding Thomas as Kimberly carried Zoe during an event.

Zoe and Thomas got their big brother Jack a hotdog-shaped pillow for his 25th birthday.

Jack carried Zoe on his shoulders with Thomas by his side. “She nearly broke my neck during this photo. In no way is this a joke,” he complained.

Dennis Quaid, a celebrated actor known for his diverse roles in Hollywood, finds his most rewarding role off-screen as a father. He has journeyed through the highs and lows of parenthood. His twins’ critical medical ordeal, highlights his courage and deep familial love that has only grown stronger over the years.