Source: ABC7 Chicago
Holli Dark is the mother of Mason Dark, a 16-year-old who was badly burned when a social media challenge went horribly wrong last week. Mason is currently a patient in the in the UNC Hospitals Burn Clinic.
Holli says, “We found out last night before I left the hospital for the evening that he did develop pneumonia, which they told us to expect sometime throughout this journey.
“What they’ve been really trying to do is wean him off the ventilator to wake him up, get him out of sedation. And he’s done remarkably well. The nurses have been just really pleased, he’s following commands like squeezing and blinking his eyes. But they have his arms in splints — he pulled his arms together, and it took four people to hold him down. He’s getting agitated, I think, (from) not knowing where he’s at, what’s going on.
“He just gets in so much pain, his heart rate starts going up, so they have to get him back in sedation immediately. It’s just so hard to see (them) trying that balance of getting him to wake up and being able to tolerate the pain.
“We’re the house that all the kids come — They’re always here hanging out in and out. I’m like, Guys, don’t do that. Be careful. This can happen. I want to let the parents know, you’ve got to be careful with these things, what they’re watching on every device, on every phone, kids phones, iPads, everything.
“More and more things come out and they want to try it. You know, the kids, they all watch so much of tech, talk and do all the different things. The spray paint and lighters and all of that, that’s been going on for years and years.
“They’re constantly doing the different things on TikTok, imitating this, doing that. They want to see how they can do it and what will happen. I’m just so thankful that the kids were there and they were smart enough to call 911.”
“Please listen to me. Don’t try these things. Don’t, don’t, don’t do it. It’s not worth it. It takes one second for it to not go right for you that you could be in the situation. And not just this particular challenge, but all the dangerous risky stuff that the kids try.
“I want them to know, just don’t do it. It’s just not worth it. Have fun. There’s so many other things that they can do to have fun than to take those risks that some kids take.”