Topics: Fast Food, Health, News, Social Media, TikTok
A Greek man is currently in intensive care after he allegedly attempted a dangerous social media burger challenge, with reports claiming extensive brain and kidney damage may have been sustained.
The 22-year-old, who has yet to be named, was hospitalised at G. Gennimatas Hospital in Koropi, East Attica, on Thursday (13 November) and remains in critical condition on a ventilator, the Daily Mail reported.
Matina Pagoni, former president of the Athens Union of Public Hospital Doctors (EINAP), claimed that the anonymous man and a friend had a ‘bet to swallow an entire burger’, but that things turned ‘tragic’ when the man’s airways suddenly became blocked.
“He had something like a panic attack. He gets up and runs a bit further away, we thought he was going to spit it out and didn't want to make a mess around others,” the victim’s unnamed friend explained.
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“He didn't do that. He makes a move to come back and then goes away again to spit it out. We thought, ‘Okay, now it's coming.’ That didn't happen either.”
The friend added: “Then he starts coming back again, and the moment we realised something was wrong was when he was hitting his back against a column, probably trying to spit it out or something.”
Despite reports, the friend denied that the burger-eating incident was part of the ‘One Bite Challenge’ movement - a social media phenomenon that sees creators conquering cheeseburgers in a single bite.
Hundreds of people have uploaded videos to YouTube and TikTok of themselves attempting to swallow burgers from McDonald’s and other fast food restaurants.
“Look. If you want to call it something, call it a joke,” the friend claimed.
An ambulance was quickly called for Greek, who reportedly stopped breathing for two minutes.
After being transported to the hospital, medical experts reportedly revealed he faced brain and kidney damage, as well as possible issues with other organs.
Speaking on the Buongiorno show earlier this week, Pagoni called the botched incident a ‘tragic situation’.
“Let’s hope there will be improvement in the coming days, although the situation is difficult,” she added, as per the Greek City Times.
Meanwhile, Michalis Giannakos, President of the Panhellenic Federation of Public Hospital Workers (POEDHN), said: “He can only be saved by a miracle; he is in a very critical condition.
“Even if he received first aid, a doctor's intervention is needed because when the brain is left without oxygen, irreparable damage is caused.”
The Daily Mail confirmed that a police spokesperson said authorities will seek footage from the restaurant where the burger was allegedly purchased to determine whether anyone encouraged him to attempt the dangerous act.
The Greek man’s hospitalisation comes just months after a man in Singapore almost died after eating a seven-pound burger.
The 30-year-old is said to have scarfed down the massive meat stack in under 30 minutes as part of a food challenge.
As a result, his stomach stretched so much it was at risk of bursting, the Daily Mail reported in March.
A CT scan showed undigested food in his stomach and pressure on his organs, forcing doctors to insert a tube through his nose to help drain it and reduce pressure.
