As told by the boy’s family, 15-year-old Mason Bogard from Evansville, Indiana was in critical condition after he tried to take part in the dangerous challenge, «the choking game».
After the death of his son, the boy’s mother, Joan Jackson, Bogard wrote on Facebook: «challenge based on the fact that you stifle yourself until the moment when you almost lose consciousness, and stop. It is assumed that it gives a feeling of pleasure. Unfortunately, this challenge took the lives of many young people, and he took our precious Mason».
The boy’s mother added that doctors tried for days to help the teenager but were unable to save him.
Last week the teenager was taken to the surgical ward, where he was an organ donor, saving the lives of others. On Tuesday, his mother wrote: «Our hero saved 5 lives!» and showed a video from hospital, Deaconess Hospital, where dozens of hospital workers in uniform, and friends of the family in t-shirts with the inscription #MasonsMessage gathered in the hall when Mason drove to the Elevator before he had to take organs for transplantation.
A few days after the boy’s death Joan Jackson Bogard in social networks, explained, «what kind of message we want to convey.»
«To strangle someone till he loses consciousness, or to strangle himself until he almost loses consciousness, this challenge has been around for decades. But the Internet gives young people a new tool to actually see how others do it, and then come back and laugh. For a young person this may seem funny, a challenge, a way to laugh others. If someone is too young (and his brain is not sufficiently developed to consider all the consequences of their actions, and still impulsive), looking 99 video, as someone who participates in this challenge without negative consequences, he probably would try it out. The problem is not that they hear about the challenge or see a video… the problem is the amount of videos they can find online».
She urged parents to look after their children.
«If you hear someone else’s child looks or tastes something dangerous, tell your parents. #MasonsMessage aims to find a way to keep children from accessing such things. #MasonsMessage designed to teach parents how to talk with children about dangerous things that they now so accessible. Someone will approach a conversation during lunch with someone you need to talk more openly. If you are young and think you can try something, because trying others… some seemingly innocent things can go not as planned. Together we can find a way to bring about change».
It is reported that Mason was buried on Friday.
