When Steve Jobs Saved Scott Forstall’s Life
The ruthless rebel of Jobs has been well publicised, this, on the other hand, is a side of Steve Jobs that rarely gets talked about among the masses. A story of hope and kindness for a friend he admired and clearly cared about.
It’s around 2006, just before the iPhones release/announcement. Scott Forstall comes down with a rare virus that can in his case have dire effects on the digestion system. He’s throwing up for days, then weeks before finally being admitted to hospital. The doctors are perplexed by his condition and have no solution to his recovery as he loses more and more weight.
Steve Jobs is calling his friend and long time employee daily, mostly speaking with Scott’s wife. Steve suggests any number of natural miracle cures, magic beans may have been suggested.
he wanted to die, the pain was so horrific
Scott has now been in the hospital for about 2 months with no signs of getting better, and now throwing up almost every 5 minutes and has lost almost 60lbs in weight. Doctors have tried everything including cancer treatment to help with nausea, nothing worked. A PICC line was inserted so he could be fed and get adequate nutrition, as he was rapidly fading.
Then one late night around 10 pm, Scott receives a phone call at his hospital bed, from Jobs telling him he’s bringing a person to the hospital to help his friend, the best acupuncturist in the world he claims. Scott is less than optimistic, however he’s willing to try anything at this point.
As bringing in outside help to a well-respected hospital is probably frowned upon, Steve jokes that should he be stopped by staff, he’ll just dedicate a wing.
The pain and discomfort unbearable. Scott at one point wanting to break his finger just to distract himself from the pain, he wanted to die, the pain was so horrific. It’s midnight when the acupuncturist arrives. He asks her, do I need to believe in this? I don’t know if I do, but I can try. The acupuncturist assures him she can fix him by manipulating his involuntary system, it does not matter what you believe or think she said. As she begins placing needles around his back and head nausea almost immediately stops and she remains there treating him until sunrise.
Scott would go on to have more treatments throughout the following day before being released from the hospital and ultimately making a full recovery. He could finally eat for the first time in 2 months and began regaining his strength and weight.
Steve Jobs sent this person, who without question saved Scott Forstall’s life, at a time when elite doctors at Stanford were baffled by his condition with no answer for a cure and running out of time. When asked why he made a recovery, the doctors treating him said there’s a lot we just don’t understand, all we know is this worked for you, it may not work for others.
Scott Forstall is a brilliant software engineer and worked with Steve for years, going all the way back to the days of Next Computer company in the early '90s. He would leave Apple in 2012, a year after Jobs passing, but forever grateful for his friend’s never-ending persistence and care in saving his life.
