#19: Baby Fae and Her Baboon Heart
Not only did the Duffer brothers want to reference other films and television shows from the 1980s, but they also wanted to reference real-life situations that happened at a similar time in the world. You know what they say, you’ve gotta pay attention to the details.
In season 2, episode 1 there is a shot of a newspaper that reads “Baby Fae’s Baboon Heart”. In 1984, infant baby Fae was diagnosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome and was the first child to have ever had a baboon heart transplant. The baboon’s heart was effective for a short while, but baby Fae passed away three weeks later.