Thomas Boone Quaid: The Tough Start That Shaped Dennis Quaid’s Son

Thomas Boone Quaid is one of actor Dennis Quaid’s younger children. He is the twin brother of Zoe Grace Quaid. The twins were born on November 8, 2007, in Santa Monica, California, via gestational carrier. Soon after birth, they faced a serious medical crisis that drew national attention. Today, the family keeps the twins’ lives mostly private, and public information focuses on their early story and on their father’s patient-safety work that followed.

Quick bio

Early life and family

Thomas was born during Dennis Quaid’s marriage to Kimberly Buffington. The twins’ arrival made headlines because Dennis already had an older son, actor Jack Quaid, from his earlier marriage to Meg Ryan. The family welcomed Thomas and Zoe via gestational carrier, and they were born in Santa Monica on November 8, 2007. From the start, Dennis and Kimberly tried to give the twins a normal, quiet childhood, sharing only limited updates.

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The medical crisis after birth

Within weeks of birth, both infants were re-admitted to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles for staph infections. During treatment, a serious error happened: the twins were mistakenly given a very high concentration of the blood thinner heparin instead of the tiny “flush” dose meant for newborns. News reports at the time described it as 10,000 units instead of 10 units, which is a thousand-fold difference.

State records later showed that pharmacy and nursing mistakes led to the wrong vials being stocked and administered on the pediatric unit. Hospital officials called it a “preventable error” and issued a public apology. The twins’ blood became dangerously thin, and doctors had to act quickly to reverse the drug’s effect.

The incident drew wide media attention to medication safety in hospitals. It also highlighted a labeling problem industry-wide at the time: look-alike vials of high-dose and low-dose heparin. Reporting in late 2007 and 2008 noted that similar errors had happened elsewhere, which is one reason the story became a national example of why packaging, storage, and double-checks matter.

Recovery and outcome

Despite the fear and the intense treatment period, the twins recovered. In later years, Dennis Quaid shared that Thomas and Zoe were “thriving” and doing well. Public updates since then have stayed positive but brief, in line with the family’s wish to protect the twins’ privacy.

Legal actions and hospital changes

Following the overdose, Dennis Quaid and Kimberly Buffington pursued legal steps. In December 2008, reports showed a $750,000 settlement with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center over the incident. Separate legal actions involved the heparin manufacturer and raised national questions about drug labeling and safety standards. Hospitals, including Cedars-Sinai, said they were taking steps to prevent similar errors in the future.

From crisis to advocacy: what changed for the family

The near-fatal error led Dennis Quaid to speak publicly about patient safety. He worked with health organizations and narrated the documentary Chasing Zero: Winning the War on Healthcare Harm (2010), which tells stories of preventable medical harm and shows practical steps health systems can take. Government patient-safety resources also point to the Quaid family’s story as a teaching example. While Thomas himself keeps a private profile, his early experience helped spur a broader message about safer care.

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Growing up out of the spotlight

There is no public sign that Thomas plans to enter show business soon. Reports about the Quaid children focus mostly on Dennis’s pride as a father and his choice to keep family life low-key. This approach is common for celebrity parents who want their kids to enjoy school, friends, and hobbies without constant attention. For Thomas, that has meant very few interviews or appearances. Most public details remain those from his first months of life and from his father’s later advocacy work.

What Thomas Boone Quaid’s story represents

Thomas’s story is, at heart, a story of survival and learning. It reminds families to ask questions in hospitals and to make sure everyone understands doses and labels. It also shows how a public figure can use a personal event to push for change. For readers, the most important takeaway is simple: health care is delivered by people, and people need systems that make the right action the easy action. The message of “chasing zero” harm is not about blame, but about better design, better checks, and clear labels.

Final note on privacy

This article uses reliable reporting and public records covering the twins’ birth, the 2007 hospital event, later recovery, and Dennis Quaid’s advocacy. Personal details about Thomas beyond these points are limited by design, as the family keeps his life private.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

1. Who is Thomas Boone Quaid?
   He is the son of actor Dennis Quaid and Kimberly Buffington. He is the twin brother of Zoe Grace Quaid.
2. When and where was he born?
   He was born on November 8, 2007, in Santa Monica, California.
3. What happened to Thomas as a newborn?
   He and his twin sister received a dangerous overdose of the blood thinner heparin while being treated at a hospital in Los Angeles. Doctors reversed the effects, and both recovered.
4. How old is he now?
   As of August 2025, he is 17 years old. (This age is calculated from his birth date.)
5. Did the hospital take responsibility?
   Hospital leaders called the event a “preventable error” and apologized publicly.
6. Was there a legal settlement?
   Yes. In 2008, a court filing showed a $750,000 settlement with Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
7. What is Chasing Zero and why is it connected to Thomas?
   It is a 2010 documentary on medical errors, narrated by Dennis Quaid. His twins’ overdose experience helped inspire his advocacy for safer care.
8. Is Thomas in the public eye like his father and half-brother Jack?
   No. Thomas and Zoe are kept out of the spotlight. Public updates about them are rare and focus on their well-being.
9. Did the twins suffer long-term problems?
   Public statements years later said they were “thriving,” which suggests healthy development after the crisis. Detailed medical information is private.
10. What can families learn from Thomas’s story?
    Ask questions in the hospital, confirm doses, and do not fear polite double-checks. The wider patient-safety movement encourages systems that reduce human error to protect patients, especially children.

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