A HIGH school student has died suddenly after participating in a viral challenge, his family says.
Harris Wolobah, 14, took part in the One Chip Challenge, which involves eating a tortilla chip made with extremely spicy peppers.
Harris felt sick and had his mother take him home from school.
It was later confirmed by the Worcester Police Department in Massachusetts that Harris died at his home on September 1 with police and paramedics present.
“The pain our family is experiencing is unimaginable," family wrote on a GoFundMe page.
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"Harris was a light that lit up the room with his presence and subtle charm. He was an intelligent, quirky, and incredibly talented young man who loved video games and playing basketball!”
Worcester Police could not immediately provide an official cause of death and family said an autopsy is underway.
"Harris passed away unexpectedly at the age of 14 from what we suspect to be complications due to the 'one chip challenge' (autopsy pending)," his family's GoFundMe said.
The chip, produced by the company Paqui Chips, was made from Carolina Reaper and Naga Viper peppers, two of the world's hottest peppers.
The Carolina comes in as the hottest chili pepper in the world per the Scoville Scale.
Naga Viper peppers fall under tier two on the ranking of the hottest peppers in the world.
The #onechipchallenege hashtag on TikTok has more than two billion views as of the time of writing.
Paqui Chips posted a video about the challenge on YouTube on August 9, 2023.
A warning on the Paqui website notes that the chip is intended for adult consumption and that it should be kept out of reach of children.
The company urges the public to seek medical attention if they experience difficulty breathing, fainting, or extended nausea.
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A nearby school district, Wellesley, sent out a warning about the challenge in September 2022.
And the Lafayette Parish School System in Louisiana banned the chips from campuses district-wide after a number of students reportedly needed medical attention as a result of the challenge.
"We urge parents and guardians to speak with their children about the dangers of participating in this challenge, encourage them not to participate in any social media challenge that is potentially dangerous to their health and well-being,” Superintendent Irma Trosclair said in October 2022, as reported by local CBS affiliate WIAT.
Health experts say the challenge can cause vomiting, coughing, asthma, and burns.
Harris' school and community are now rallying around his family, with more than $21,000 raised to help with funeral costs.
"I’m hoping that with the help of this compassionate community, we can raise enough funds to alleviate the burden of funeral expenses for his parents and siblings during this incredibly difficult time," family said on the GoFundMe.
The school district will provide counseling to any student who needs help during this time.
“It is during the most trying times that the community of Worcester comes together and this is one of those times. May we stay focused on allowing the grief and healing process during this difficult time,” the school district said in a statement.
