Teen 'desperate to be famous' dies after dangerous viral 'dusting' challenge
A teenager said to have dreamed of being famous has tragically died after doing the deadly social media "dusting" challenge.
Renna O'Rourke, 19, from Arizona, US, sadly died on Sunday last week following a seven-day stint in a hospital's intensive care unit after she took part in the challenge that has spread online. Dusting, also known as huffing or chroming, involves kids inhaling aerosols, including items such as keyboard cleaners. Renna went into a cardiac arrest following the challenge and was declared braindead. Her father, Aaron, said Renna had always wanted to be famous and dreamed of being a star.
Speaking to the AZFamily outlet, he said: "She always said, 'I'm gonna be famous, Dad. Just you watch. I'm gonna be famous', and unfortunately this is not under the most optimal of circumstances."
Aaron and wife Dana shared what happened to their daughter in a bid to warn others. Dana said: "There's no ID required. It's odourless. It's everything kids look for. They can afford it, they can get it, and it doesn't show in mom and dad's drug test."
Renna and her boyfriend used an app delivery service to get the cleaner sent to their home. Speaking to 12News, Dana said: "[Renna] and her boyfriend had Door Dashed product to my house and I didn't know. It's keyboard cleaner. I didn't know what they were doing with it.
"We want to make sure that we use our tragedy so that no other parent has to experience looking at their child on life support and a ventilator and not breathing on her own all because she huffed out of a can."
Dr Randy Weisman of HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center told AZFamily: "This is extremely concerning. When they inhale these chemicals in the gas it will actually replace the oxygen within their lungs and within the rest of their body."
Weisman said the challenge makes a person feel drunk or euphoric. He added that liver failure, heart failure and disease of the lungs were all possible.
Following Renna's death, her organs went on to save at least six people's lives. Dana continued: "Through that we're finding strength and purpose. She will be unbelievably missed, leaving the most aching hole in our lives, but if her life is to mean anything, we are going to do what we can to prevent somebody else's child from being where ours is right now.
"She will be unbelievably missed, leaving the most aching hole in our lives, but if her life is to mean anything, we are going to do what we can to prevent somebody else's child from being where ours is right now."
The family have created a GoFundMe page to cover medical and funeral costs. Since being launched, the fundraiser has amassed $10,456 (£7,727) in donations, far beyond its $5,000 (£3,691) target.
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