302:, but she alleges the school staff were actually bothered by Dennis' appearance and concerned with what the other kids' parents might think. She was successful at campaigning on Dennis' behalf and was able to enroll him in public school, where he was initially academically behind his classmates, but quickly caught up and graduated from Sandburg Junior High as an
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Based on the small number of recorded cases — in a 1985 television interview, Rusty said Dennis' doctors told her there were seven recorded cases of CDD — doctors predicted that the pressure from bone accumulation on the central nervous system and cranial nerves would destroy his eyesight
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interview program, and told the hosts she lied about Dennis' age to enroll him in school at age four-and-a-half. When the school found out about Dennis' real age, they told Rusty that Dennis couldn't stay enrolled, but offered a "special school he go to" instead, which she accepted. She went on to
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Rusty self-describes her medical philosophy as "I decided early in my life if you could make yourself sick, you could make yourself well," and she taught Dennis that same philosophy. When he would complain of a headache, Rusty would tell him to go to his room and "don't come out until you have made
314:
By
September 1978, Dennis' health had deteriorated such that he was wheelchair bound for the final weeks of his life. On October 3, the family ate out at a restaurant and it was clear to everyone in attendance how weak Dennis had become. That evening, Dennis had a headache, and Rusty, just as she
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reporter that the film was mostly accurate but with two major departures from reality — the events occurred over a period of 10-12 years, rather than one year as depicted in the film; and Dennis' older half-brother, Joshua, is never mentioned in the film.
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say that Dennis spent "a couple of years" at that school "learning the things that they teach handicapped people" before she began trying to enroll him in public school, by which time he was seven years old. However, that same year,
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that she heard him stirring around 6 AM, but he was dead when she went to check on him at 10 AM. His body was donated to UCLA's genetics research center and cremated afterwards. His official cause of death was
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who said Dennis' poor vision meant he would never learn to read. According to Rusty, she handed Dennis a book, which he promptly read aloud before telling the doctor, "I don't believe in being blind."
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Dennis had the opportunity to undergo plastic surgery that could correct his facial deformities, but decided against it. He asked Rusty "Who will I see in the mirror if I change my face?"
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self-published a song titled "Rocky Dennis' Farewell Song to the Blind Girl", causing DJs to mistakenly call the musician by Rocky Dennis' name. In 2004, Lekman released
208:(CDD), an extremely rare bone disorder that causes bone tissue to build up excessively, including in the skull, causing gradual compression of the brain and thus
353:), that was written by Dennis. The movie is based loosely on Dennis' life, with most of the scenes and dialogue altered for dramatic purposes. Rusty told a
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friends frequented their home, acting as a secondary support system for the family, particularly following Dennis' parents divorce in 1971.
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Certain details about Dennis' early schooling are unclear, due to inconsistent statements given by Rusty. In 1985, she appeared on
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always had, instructed him to go to his room and "make himself well." Dennis died the next morning, October 4. Rusty told
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When Rusty attempted to enroll Dennis in school, she was met with significant pushback due to concerns he might be
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reported that Rusty "raised hell" at the idea of Dennis being placed in a "separate school for the handicapped."
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portrayed Dennis. In one scene in the film, Stoltz's Dennis reads a poem to his mother, Rusty (played by
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and hearing, and eventually affect his brain, anticipating he would die prior to his seventh birthday.
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containing "Rocky Dennis' Farewell Song to the Blind Girl" and two other songs about Dennis.
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and death during childhood or teenage years. His life was the basis for the 1985 drama film
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Phelan adapted her screenplay into a stage musical of the same name, with music by
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reported that Dennis began school when he was six years old, and in 1986, the
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In the years following Dennis' diagnosis, he lived with his parents and older
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and Roy Dennis in 1961. When he was very young, Dennis frequently had
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19:"Roy Dennis" redirects here. For the British conservationist, see
731:(Interview). Interviewed by Salvatore Alessandro. Archived from
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at age two, at which time doctors detected abnormalities in his
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Dennis' vision worsened as he got older, and he was declared
428:"An Unusual Mother: Helping Her Children Face Down Death"
16:
American boy with craniodiaphyseal dysplasia (1961–1978)
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multiple times a week, culminating in a diagnosis of
604:. Vol. 23, no. 11. Meredith Corporation.
466:"Florence 'Rusty' Tullis, 70; portrayed by Cher in
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98:
79:
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142:(December 4, 1961 – October 4, 1978) was an
748:"Jens Lekman: Rocky Dennis EP / Maple Leaves EP"
154:bone disorder. The condition usually results in
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8:
700:Musical Will Make World Premier in Pasadena"
196:. Over the next year, he visited doctors at
540:McGowan, Ross; Fraser, Ann (hosts) (1985).
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259:at age six. When he was seven, he saw an
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23:. For the American football player, see
464:McClellan, Dennis (November 20, 2006).
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648:from the original on December 23, 2020
440:from the original on November 10, 2014
746:Deusner, Stephen M. (June 30, 2004).
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198:University of California, Los Angeles
7:
632:"Rusty Mason: The real woman behind
760:from the original on March 18, 2009
512:from the original on March 21, 2024
592:Green, Michelle (March 18, 1985).
14:
795:American people with disabilities
373:in California on March 12, 2008.
244:yourself well." Dennis also used
800:People from Glendora, California
694:Gans, Andrew (August 27, 2007).
608:from the original on May 6, 2009
322:sudden arrhythmic death syndrome
369:. The musical premiered at the
46:Dennis' 1977 junior high school
667:Ebert, Roger (22 March 1985).
630:Krasnow, Iris (May 14, 1985).
341:, from Anna Hamilton Phelan's
25:Roy Dennis (American football)
1:
506:"Craniodiaphyseal dysplasia"
21:Roy Dennis (conservationist)
426:Witt, Linda (11 May 1986).
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641:United Press International
206:craniodiaphyseal dysplasia
148:craniodiaphyseal dysplasia
104:craniodiaphyseal dysplasia
18:
210:intracranial hypertension
172:Rocky Dennis was born in
39:
168:Early life and diagnosis
725:"Jens Lekman Interview"
345:based on Dennis' life.
335:directed the 1985 film
178:Florence "Rusty" Tullis
386:Rocky Dennis in Heaven
156:neurological disorders
735:on December 31, 2004.
482:on September 18, 2007
34:Roy L. "Rocky" Dennis
174:Glendora, California
150:, an extremely rare
72:Glendora, California
675:. Ebert Digital LLC
246:breathing exercises
99:Cause of death
594:"The Drama Behind
550:People Are Talking
544:People Are Talking
371:Pasadena Playhouse
328:In popular culture
276:People are Talking
236:. Many of Rusty's
91:Covina, California
552:. San Francisco.
542:"Rusty Dennis on
475:Los Angeles Times
333:Peter Bogdanovich
300:mentally retarded
188:. He underwent a
146:teenager who had
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102:Complications of
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478:. Archived from
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220:Subsequent years
186:sinus infections
110:Other names
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68:December 4, 1961
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87:(aged 16)
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58:Roy Lee Dennis
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810:Child deaths
762:. Retrieved
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733:the original
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707:. Retrieved
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610:. Retrieved
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560:– via
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514:. Retrieved
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492:Boston Globe
490:– via
484:. Retrieved
480:the original
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442:. Retrieved
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367:Cynthia Weil
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113:Rocky Dennis
85:(1978-10-04)
790:1978 deaths
785:1961 births
709:January 18,
381:Jens Lekman
347:Eric Stoltz
250:biofeedback
779:Categories
397:References
363:Barry Mann
343:screenplay
278:, a local
228:Joshua in
125:Roy Dennis
64:1961-12-04
753:Pitchfork
444:April 23,
270:Schooling
200:(UCLA)'s
152:sclerotic
118:Parent(s)
764:June 23,
758:Archived
729:Indiepop
704:Playbill
679:23 April
652:June 23,
646:Archived
612:June 22,
606:Archived
546:in 1985"
516:June 22,
510:Archived
486:June 22,
438:Archived
234:Glendora
144:American
562:Youtube
377:Swedish
132:Roy Lee
669:"Mask"
230:Covina
194:x-rays
140:Dennis
93:, U.S.
74:, U.S.
389:, an
310:Death
238:biker
176:, to
136:Rocky
766:2024
711:2021
698:Mask
681:2016
654:2024
634:Mask
614:2024
596:Mask
558:KPIX
518:2024
488:2024
468:Mask
446:2016
365:and
351:Cher
338:Mask
248:and
232:and
184:and
161:Mask
80:Died
54:Born
554:CBS
182:ear
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