Four and a half years ago, Aaron (age 18), died from inhaling fumes. This is also called huffing. Kids are dying from inhaling all sorts of gases and fumes. Helium, propane, cans of air and other propellants just to name a few. They are trying to achieve the ultimate high and instead end up with lethal levels of toxins in their body and they cause permanent damage or die because of it. Most of the time their death is accidental.
That's what happened to Aaron. He was inhaling propane in the back of a friend's car while on the way to a recovery meeting. Aaron started having a seizure. His friends called 911, stopped the car, pulled Aaron out onto the shoulder and gave him CPR until the ambulance arrived. The paramedics were able to restart his heart but Aaron's brain went without oxygen for ten minutes. They rushed him to the emergency room where for five days he was in the critical intensive care unit on a breathing machine - brain dead, blind, deaf, paralyzed and everything else you can imagine.
The Aaron that we knew was no longer with us. The body in the hospital, the body hooked up to that machine was not the Aaron we'd spent Easter with two weeks prior. My nephew was gone - this was the shell of someone I loved deeply - someone I was going to miss even more.
On that fifth day when the decision was made to turn off the machines, it was hard to let him go. I sat with his family as his heartbeat slowed down. Then there was that noise. That steady sound that lets you know his heart has stopped, he's no longer here and the grieving will now begin.
So when I read or hear about people having fun inhaling helium the hair goes up on the back of my neck. I want to warn them and say, "Wait! Don't do it! It's not funny when it kills you!"
I pray parents warn their children about the dangers of inhaling fumes and gases.
I pray teenagers admit they are not invincible to these dangers.
I pray adults step up and stop this behavior if they see it happening.
I pray everyone gets educated and knows where to go for help.
If our family had known Aaron was huffing, we would have done something. Unfortunately, none of his friends told us until after he died. Don't keep it a secret. Tell someone - tell their parents even if the person will get mad at you.
It just might save their life.
Click here to read - "Inhalant Abuse: Is Your Child At Risk?"
Would you know if your teen were huffing? Consider the telltale signs of inhalant abuse — and what you can do to prevent it.
