After an Indiana teen died doing the Youtube “Choking Challenge,” his mother issued a plea to teens after her son passed out from the game.
Days after Mason Bogard’s death, his mom Joann Jackson Bogard shared a Facebook photo commemorating her son’s death.
She said Mason was playing a game known as the Pass Out Challenge or Choking Game when the accidental strangulation, during a moment of lightheadedness and euphoria, cut off the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain, reports People.
Steve, Taylor, and I want to take this time to provide everyone with an update on Mason. We felt it was important for…
Posted by Joann Jackson Bogard on Sunday, May 5, 2019
The temporary asphyxiation left the boy brain dead. He died on May 4. Joann wrote in a Facebook post:
We’ve learned that Mason attempted a challenge that he saw on social media and it went horribly wrong. The challenge that Mason tried was the choking challenge.
Unfortunately, we will not have the opportunity to experience so many things with our child because of a stupid challenge on social media.
As reported by TIME, in the U.S., 82 children have died participating in the challenge between 1995 and 2007.
the tragedy, Mason’s mother begged parents to be vigilant about monitoring kids’ social media accounts.
She said:
Please pay attention to what your children look at on social media. I know our kids always complain that we’re being too overprotective but it’s ok, it’s our job.
While Joann said nothing can bring back her son, she wants to prevent this tragedy from happening in the future by warning other families.
This month the family also shared a video of the teen’s “honor walk” at Deaconess Hospital before his organ donation.
Watch the video below:
Our hero saved 5 lives! This was his Honor Walk at Deaconess Hospital today. We are so very proud! #masonsmessage
Posted by Joann Jackson Bogard on Tuesday, May 7, 2019
She wrote:
While we are devastated that we will never experience so many things with Mason again, we are able to find some comfort in the fact that Mason will save the lives of others.
Joann’s heart still aches for her son, yet she celebrated the “hero” who saved fives lives after the fatal injury.
Watch more video below: