A 10th grader has died suddenly after taking part in the viral One Chip Challenge and eating what was said to be the hottest chip in the world.
According to NBC Boston, Harris Wolobah died the same day he took part in the online “One Chip Challenge” trend. Harris was from Worcester, Massachusetts and was only 14 years old at the time of his death.
On Sept. 1, the boy’s mother was called to school when Harris complained of stomach pain. He had eaten the dangerously spicy crisp after it was given to him by a classmate.
The young teenager felt better after he went home, but he passed out at 4:30 p.m. as he was about to go to basketball tryouts.
Speaking to the Worcester Telegram, police Lt. Sean Murtha said the boy was unresponsive and not breathing. He was taken to hospital and pronounced dead.
While Harris’ death is the first reported death after eating the chips, many other children required medical attention after eating the chips.
Harris Wolobah, 14, died hours after eating a spicy tortilla chip as part of the “One Chip Challenge,” a social media trend that has garnered billions of views on TikTok. The Massachusetts teenager was a talented athlete who was described by family as “a light that lit up the room.”
Harris complained of stomach pain after eating the chip provided by a classmate. Hours later, he seemed fine, but as he was about to leave for basketball practice, he suddenly collapsed
In October 2022, a school district in Lafayette, Louisiana banned the chips from all campuses after several students required medical attention.
Less than a month later, paramedics were called to a high school in Dunwood, Georgia, prompting police to issue an alert about the snack.
The One Chip Challenge is a marketing campaign centered around a single tortilla chip advertised as the hottest in the world.
The challenge has gained a huge following on social media, with the tag “#onechipchallenge” on TikTok receiving over two billion views.
The chip has been manufactured by Paqui since 2016 and is the product of Texas-based Amplify Snack Brands, which was acquired by The Hershey Company in 2017.
A new flavor is released every year, and the 2023 edition will be available on Amazon starting August 9th. While there are fewer than ten ingredients listed, two in particular stand out: the California Reaper Pepper and the Naga Viper Pepper.
With up to 2.2 million Scoville Heat Units (SHUs) on the Scoville scale, the California Reaper Pepper has officially been named the hottest pepper in the world. The Naga Viper pepper was just below that at 1,382,118 SHUs.
The scale measures the strength of different peppers relative to capsaicin, the compound that gives chili peppers their spiciness. Pure capsaicin has 16 million Scoville units.
The 2023 edition of One Chip Challenges features a tortilla chip flavored with two of the hottest peppers around, California Reaper Pepper and Naga Viper Pepper. The California Reaper is considered the hottest pepper in the world
Paqui, the chip manufacturer, encourages people to test their physical limits. Anyone who can endure the burning pain for up to an hour without eating or drinking receives the title of “Apex Predator”.
The single chip comes in a coffin-shaped box with a red skull.
A warning label on the advertising page reads: ‘Keep out of the reach of children.’ Intended for adult consumption.’
The site encourages people to seek medical attention if they experience complications such as difficulty breathing, fainting or “persistent nausea.”
Paqui has launched an advertising campaign encouraging people to test whether they can endure the pain.
A graphic on the website reads, “How long can you hold out before you spiral?” and shows an image of a Grim Reaper grasping a snake.
Anyone who cannot eat or drink anything for an hour to combat the heat is considered an “apex predator”.
It remains unclear whether the sharp chip contributed to Harris’ death and an autopsy is pending.
On September 3rd, Dr. Worcester Public Schools Superintendent Rachel Monárrez issued a statement posted on the Worcester Public Schools website.
She called the teenager a “rising star.”
Other children required medical care after participating in the challenge, including high school students from Louisiana and Georgia
The teen’s high school, Doherty Memorial High, released a statement from the district’s superintendent, calling him a “rising star” and drawing the attention of students and faculty to grief counseling services
Harris’ cousin Tashia Roberts organized a fundraiser after the boy’s death. She hoped donations could cover funeral costs to ease the financial burden on his parents
“As a mother and educator, I cannot imagine how hard this is for his family, friends and teachers. “My heart goes out to everyone who knew and loved him,” Monárrez wrote.
“In the most difficult times, the Worcester community comes together and this is one of those times. “May we continue to focus on allowing the grieving and healing process to take place during this difficult time.”
The day after his death, Tashia Roberts, the boy’s cousin, started a GoFundMe fundraiser with the goal of raising $30,000.
At the time of writing, over $20,000 had already been raised.
“The pain our family is experiencing is unimaginable.” “Harris was a light, lighting up the room with his presence and subtle charm,” she wrote.
The teenager was described as intelligent, quirky and talented, with a passion for video games and basketball.
“Our family plans to lay Harris to rest in the coming weeks, so I hope that with the help of this compassionate community we can raise enough funds to ease the burden of funeral costs on his parents and siblings during this incredibly difficult time.” Time,” Roberts said.