A teenage girl who dreamed of being famous one day is dead after participating in a dangerous online social media challenge.
19-year-old Renna O’Rourke passed away from sudden sniffing death syndrome on Sunday after she attempted the viral trend known as dusting. The family wrote in a GoFundMe:
“On Sunday, June 1st at 1:30 pm, our wonderful daughter, after 4 days in the ICU, was pronounced brain dead. She was the light in every room she walked into, and the pain that her family and friends feel is simply immeasurable.”
Dusting is the inhalation of aerosol dusters, such as keyboard cleaners, to get high. It’s also known as huffing and chroming, depending on the aerosol. If you’ve never heard of dusting, you’re not alone. Renna’s parents didn’t know a single thing about the trend until they tragically lost their daughter. Now they want to share their story so other families don’t lose their children the same way.
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In an interview with AZFamily, her dad, Aaron O’Rourke, shared that Renna always wanted to become a star. However, he never imagined it would happen like this — as a cautionary tale:
“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.”
Her parents’ whole world came crashing down on May 27. Her mom Dana O’Rourke told 12News Renna and her boyfriend ordered the cleaner through DoorDash that day:
“My daughter 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.”
Renna attempted the challenge, sniffing the keyboard cleaner, and it ended in tragedy. Per 12News, the teen went into cardiac arrest and never recovered. She was later declared brain dead. Heartbreaking. Sadly, Renna isn’t a rare case. This has happened to other teens as well because they had no idea about how harmful dusting is. To paint a picture of how dangerous this trend is Dr. Randy Weisman, who leads the Intensive Care Unit at HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center, explained to 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 dusting makes someone feel drunk for a few minutes but it causes irreversible damage, including “failure of the liver, heart failure, disease of the lungs.” He continued:
“She’s not the only one that this has happened to. Several other teenagers have succumb to this same disorder.”
However, Dana and Aaron hope their daughter will be the last. The mom expressed to 12News:
“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.”
Dana added:
“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.”
Speaking to AZFamily, she warned parents:
“There’s no ID required. It’s odorless. 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.”
At this time, what brings some light to the parents is knowing that her organs have saved six lives now. Dana shared with 12News:
“Through that we’re finding strength and purpose. We’ve been told that her heart is going to a recipient in California, which is kind of beautiful, because she was ultimately wanting to move to California. So, in a way her heart is taking her there.”
No parent should have to say goodbye to their child so young. Our hearts go out to Dana and Aaron during this time. Hopefully, their story will make other teens think twice before trying out this challenge. Watch the heartbreaking interviews below:
[Image via Aaron O’Rourke/Facebook]
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