Jessica Van Dyke was the late granddaughter of Dick Van Dyke (aka Richard Wayne Van Dyke), an American actor and comedian. Her granddad is an award-winning entertainer best known for his roles in the musical Bye-Bye Birdie (1960). Jessica is also the daughter of Dick’s eldest son, Christian Van Dyke.
Jessica, sadly, is no longer alive in the living world. In 1987, she was only 13 years old when she died. So, what was the reason of her death? Today’s essay will discuss how Jessica Van Dyke died at such a young age. In addition, we will talk about her childhood, parents, and family history.
So stick with us to find out more.
Jessica Van Dyke was her parents’ only child.
Page Contents
- 1 Jessica Van Dyke was her parents’ only child.
- 2 Jessica’s parents divorced when she was a child.
- 3 Jessica Van Dyke Died As A Teenager; What Caused Her Death?
- 4 Her Tomb
- 5 Dyke’s Father Was An Actor; What Else Did He Do For A Living?
- 6 Jessica’s Educational Background; She Was A Promising Student
- 7 Jessica was scheduled to make her acting debut in a play before her death.
- 8 A Brief Overview of Her Family History
Jessica Lee Van Dyke was born on January 1, 1974, in Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona, USA. She weighed 6 pounds 15 ounces when she was born. After three days, on January 4th, the Dallas Morning News made her birth public.
Dyke, like her father Christian, was the sole child of her mother Caroline Anne Young. She spent her early childhood with her large Dyke family, but when her parents divorced, she was taken in by her mother.
Jessica’s parents divorced when she was a child.
Her parents, Christian and Caroline, married on August 22, 1970. And four years later, they became parents when Jessica was born. Initially, the couple had a tiny happy family, but as time passed, the spark in their connection began to fade, and the couple split when their daughter was still very young. The exact date of their divorce is unknown; but, after they divorced, her mother remarried her second husband, Roger D Heller.
Dyke remained with her mother and stepfather Heller after her mother’s second marriage until her mother died in 1987. Jonathan and Cassidy Heller were her younger half-siblings.
After a year, her father, Christian, re-started his family. According to IMDb, he married his second wife Christine S Shihadeh on August 12, 1988.
Jessica Van Dyke Died As A Teenager; What Caused Her Death?
Jessica Van Dyke died of Reye’s syndrome, a rare condition. In truth, the celebrity child died in 1987, the same year her mother Caroline died. Initially, she only had a little fever from chicken pox. Without realizing it, she attempted to treat herself by taking four tablets of acetylsalicylic acid, also known as aspirin.
She began vomiting three days later, and her parents took her to Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, where she was diagnosed with Reye’s syndrome. Regarding this unusual condition, her stepfather Heller stated,
“We never knew about Reye’s syndrome.” “We had no idea Reye’s was a disease that could affect a 13-year-old,” says the mother.
Jessica died four days after being admitted to the hospital on April 6, 1987, in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio, USA. She was thirteen years old when she died.
Her Tomb
Her corpse was buried in Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, after her death.
On April 9, she performed her post-mortem ritual at Miller-Deutsch Memorial Chapel.
Dyke’s Father Was An Actor; What Else Did He Do For A Living?
Christian Van Dyke, her father, was an actor. In reality, his three siblings, Barry Van Dyke, Carrie Beth Van Dyke, and Stacy Van Dyke, all tried their hand at acting. Among her father’s siblings, Barry Van Dyke had the most successful Hollywood career, while Christian made virtually few TV appearances.
In terms of Jessica’s father’s Hollywood experience, he portrayed Frankie in an episode of The Dick Van Dyke Show in 1962. Following that, he appeared in Hollywood Goes to a World Premiere, which prompted him to leave Hollywood and pursue a career in law. He went to law school. In addition to being an advocate, the former actor worked as the marketing director for Nike USA.
Jessica’s Educational Background; She Was A Promising Student
The celebrity grandchild was a student at Wiley Middle School in University Heights, a Cleveland suburb. She was in eighth grade at the time of her death. According to the Los Angeles Times, she was an exceptionally brilliant student.
She excelled in extracurricular activities in addition to her studies. Jessica was really interested in creative writing. Cricket Magazine hosted a national essay-writing contest in 1986, and she came in third place. Furthermore, the late Dyke enjoyed photography and choir. She used to play hockey at her high school.
Jessica was scheduled to make her acting debut in a play before her death.
The celebrity granddaughter was scheduled to play the lead in the school musical “Bye Bye Birdie” just a week before her death. This was the same 1960s play that made her legendary grandfather, Dick Van Dyke, famous as a theater and cinema actor.
Meanwhile, Dyke developed a minor fever, which resulted in her death at the age of 13.
A Brief Overview of Her Family History
Her grandfather, as previously said, is the well-known entertainer Dick Van Dyke. She is also the granddaughter of American actor and comedian Jerry Van Dyke. Her cousins Shane Van Dyke, Carey Van Dyke, Wes Van Dyke, and Taryn Van Dyke joined her father and grandpa in the acting business.
The late Dyke is the great-granddaughter of former Sen. Stephen M. Young, D-Ohio, on her mother’s side.
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