Boaz Dov Wong: The Heartbreaking Story of BD Wong’s Twin Son

Boaz Dov Wong was one of the twin sons of actor BD Wong and his former partner, Richie Jackson. He was born on May 28, 2000, with his twin brother, Jackson Foo Wong. Sadly, Boaz lived for only a short time after birth because the twins had a serious health problem called twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome.

Although Boaz Dov Wong had a very short life, his story became an important part of his family’s history. His birth, Jackson’s fight to survive, and BD Wong’s experience as a new father were later shared in interviews and in BD’s book, Following Foo. Here is what is known about Boaz and the family story around him.

Boaz Dov Wong’s Quick Bio

Who Was Boaz Dov Wong?

Boaz Dov Wong was the son of BD Wong, the award-winning actor known for his work on stage and television, and Richie Jackson, a producer and entertainment professional. At the time, BD and Richie had been together for many years and had decided that they wanted to become parents.

Boaz was born as a twin. His brother was named Jackson Foo Wong. The boys arrived much earlier than expected and quickly became the center of a serious medical emergency. Boaz died shortly after he was born, while Jackson was taken into intensive care and began a long fight to survive.

Boaz Dov Wong’s Birth and Family

Boaz and Jackson were born through surrogacy. Reports about the family explain that BD Wong provided the sperm, while an egg was donated by Richie Jackson’s sister. A surrogate then carried the twins. This allowed BD and Richie to begin the family they had planned together.

The twins were expected later in the summer of 2000, but they arrived on May 28. A report from the time says the babies were born at about 28 weeks, making them very premature. Boaz was born first, and Jackson followed around 15 minutes later.

Their early arrival made an already difficult pregnancy even more serious. Instead of spending their first days together at home, the family found themselves dealing with doctors, hospital care, fear, and the loss of one child while trying to protect the other.

The Meaning Behind Boaz Dov Wong’s Name

Boaz’s name also had a special family meaning. According to a 2003 report about BD Wong and his book, Boaz Dov was given the initials B.D., continuing a naming link found in BD Wong’s own family.

The same report explains that BD Wong and his brothers Barry and Brian carried a connection to their father, Bill D. Naming his son Boaz Dov allowed those initials to continue into another generation. This small detail shows that Boaz’s name was chosen with care and had a personal link to his father’s family.

Boaz Dov Wong and His Twin Brother Jackson

Boaz Dov Wong and Jackson Foo Wong shared much more than the same birthday. Their health was closely linked before they were born. During the pregnancy, doctors found that the twins were affected by twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, a condition that can cause a serious imbalance in blood flow between twins who share a placenta.

Boaz was born first, with Jackson arriving about 15 minutes later. Sadly, the brothers soon followed very different paths. Boaz died shortly after birth. Jackson, who weighed only about 2 pounds, 13 ounces, was rushed to intensive care and remained in the hospital for roughly three months.

Their story remained connected in BD Wong’s mind long after that day. He later spoke about Boaz not simply as the child he lost, but also as an important part of Jackson’s survival story.

The Twin-to-Twin Transfusion Syndrome

Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, often called TTTS, happens in some twin pregnancies when babies share a placenta and the blood moving between them becomes uneven. This can place both babies at serious risk because one may receive too much blood while the other does not receive enough.

In Boaz and Jackson’s case, reports from 2003 identified Boaz as the donor twin. Jackson survived but was born in very serious condition and needed months of hospital care. Boaz did not survive. The condition became one of the main parts of the family’s story about the twins’ birth.

TTTS helps explain why the birth was so difficult even before the babies arrived early. It also explains why Jackson needed such close care after birth and why BD Wong’s first months as a father were filled with both grief and hope.

What Happened to Boaz Dov Wong?

Boaz Dov Wong died on May 28, 2000, the same day he was born. Reports published around the release of BD Wong’s book say that Boaz survived for about 90 minutes after birth. Other accounts describe it more generally as less than two hours.

The loss came while BD Wong and Richie Jackson were still facing another emergency. Jackson was extremely small and needed immediate intensive care. The family therefore had to deal with losing Boaz while also hoping that his twin brother would survive.

That difficult period would shape the family for years. Jackson’s long hospital stay, BD Wong’s memories of Boaz, and the way both fathers dealt with the loss became important parts of their story. It is also where the next part of Boaz Dov Wong’s story naturally continues.

Jackson Foo Wong’s Fight to Survive

While the family was grieving Boaz, Jackson Foo Wong was still fighting for his life. He was very small at birth and needed close medical care right away. One report says he weighed about 2 pounds, 13 ounces. He then spent around three months in intensive care before he was strong enough to leave the hospital.

BD Wong stayed close during this long hospital period. At first, he lived in a motel so he could remain near Jackson. He later stayed with his own parents in San Francisco. During those weeks, BD kept friends updated through personal emails about Jackson’s health, small changes, and even simple moments that brought some hope.

BD also gave Jackson the nickname “The Chestnut Man.” He felt the baby looked like the wise older men who sold chestnuts on New York streets. The nickname later became part of the title of BD Wong’s book about becoming a father and watching Jackson slowly recover.

How BD Wong Remembered Boaz

Boaz Dov Wong remained in BD Wong’s thoughts long after his death. BD once explained that he sometimes had what he called a “Boaz moment.” These were quiet times when he wondered what Boaz might have looked like, what kind of person he might have become, and how life would have been with both twins.

BD said these thoughts were not always filled with deep pain. Instead, they were often more about wondering “what if.” This shows that Boaz stayed part of his life in a gentle but lasting way.

BD also believed that Boaz played a part in Jackson’s survival. He spoke about feeling grateful to Boaz because of the way the twins had shared blood before birth. For BD, this made Boaz more than a child he lost. He became part of the story of how Jackson survived.

How Boaz’s Death Affected the Family

Losing a child placed a heavy strain on BD Wong and Richie Jackson. They had been together for many years before the twins were born, but the experience changed their family life. BD later spoke about the loss as something that left both parents deeply marked.

The couple eventually separated after about 18 years together. BD once used the words “collateral damage” when talking about how losing a child had affected their relationship. Still, it would be too simple to say that Boaz’s death was the only reason for their breakup.

After separating, BD and Richie worked out a way to raise Jackson together. Jackson spent much of the week with Richie and later visited BD on weekends. BD has also spoken about feeling sad that Jackson no longer had both parents living in the same home.

Even so, the family created a new routine. BD often invited theatre friends over on Saturdays. Jackson would play, talk with guests, offer them snacks, and sometimes turn the evening into a small home show with music and singing.

Following Foo and the Story Behind the Book

BD Wong later turned part of this difficult time into a book called Following Foo: The Electronic Adventures of the Chestnut Man. The book was published in 2003 and was based in part on emails he sent to friends while Jackson was in the hospital.

Those emails helped BD share what was happening day by day. They included fear, worry, small signs of progress, and even funny family moments. This gave his friends a close look at what it was like to have a very sick baby in intensive care.

The book also gave BD a way to talk about Boaz. His son’s death was part of the same story as Jackson’s survival, so the two experiences could not be fully separated.

For readers who want to understand why Boaz Dov Wong is still discussed today, Following Foo is one of the most important parts of the family story. It shows how a very short life still had a long effect on the people left behind.

Jackson Foo Wong’s Life After Losing His Twin

Jackson Foo Wong grew up in New York with both fathers remaining part of his life. Although his family structure was less common at the time, BD has said that living in New York made it feel fairly normal. He remembered that people around them generally did not make a big issue of two fathers raising a child.

As Jackson got older, he followed part of Richie Jackson’s path by attending New York University. Reports say he graduated in May 2023. Unlike BD, Jackson has mostly stayed away from public attention and has kept much of his personal life private.

Jackson also came out as gay when he was about 15. His family accepted him. Richie later said that Jackson felt being gay was not a major issue for people his age, which surprised him because Richie had grown up in a very different time.

That experience helped inspire Richie Jackson’s book Gay Like Me: A Father Writes to His Gay Son. In it, Richie shared what he had learned about being gay, growing up, and understanding LGBTQ+ history.

Boaz Dov Wong’s Place in BD Wong’s Family Today

As the years passed, the family around Jackson became larger. Richie Jackson later married Broadway producer Jordan Roth. Jackson developed a close relationship with Jordan and has referred to him as “Daddy Jordan.”

Richie and Jordan later welcomed another son, Levi, which made Jackson an older brother. This gave Jackson a new sibling relationship many years after losing his twin brother at birth.

BD Wong also moved forward in his personal life. He later married Richert John Frederickson Schnorr. Even as the family changed, Boaz Dov Wong remained part of the story that connected BD, Richie, and Jackson.

Boaz is still mentioned whenever BD talks about the early years of fatherhood. His life lasted only a short time, but his name still appears in family interviews, profiles, and stories about Jackson’s birth and survival.

Bottom Line

Boaz Dov Wong was the twin son of BD Wong and Richie Jackson. He was born on May 28, 2000, along with Jackson Foo Wong after a difficult pregnancy affected by twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome.

Boaz died shortly after birth, while Jackson survived after spending months in intensive care. That single day changed the family in many ways and became an important part of BD Wong’s life as a father.

Years later, BD continued to speak about Boaz with love, curiosity, and gratitude. His son may have lived for only a very short time, but his place in the Wong family story has never disappeared.

(FAQs)

Who was Boaz Dov Wong?

Boaz Dov Wong was one of the twin sons of actor BD Wong and Richie Jackson. He was born in 2000 with his twin brother, Jackson Foo Wong.

What happened to Boaz Dov Wong?

Boaz and his twin brother were affected by twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome. Boaz died shortly after birth, while Jackson survived.

Who is Boaz Dov Wong’s twin brother?

His twin brother is Jackson Foo Wong, who survived after spending about three months in intensive care.

Who are Boaz Dov Wong’s parents?

His parents are actor BD Wong and producer Richie Jackson. The twins were born through surrogacy.

Did BD Wong write about Boaz Dov Wong?

Yes. BD Wong discussed the family’s experience in his 2003 book Following Foo: The Electronic Adventures of the Chestnut Man.

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