After 19 days of being on life support, Joshua Haileyesus of Colorado has been pronounced dead, according to the family’s GoFunMe page. The 12-year-old child became unconscious after choking himself for a popular TikTok challenge known as the “Blackout Challenge.”
We reported earlier this month that Haileyesus was admitted into a local Aurora children’s hospital after his twin brother discovered the preteen blacked out on their bathroom floor. Doctors informed Haileyesus’s parents that his prognosis wasn’t looking good, likely because he had suffered from a lack of oxygen to his brain.
He was on life support for 19 days but, unfortunately, was not able to recover. “We would like to update everyone that this evening, after fighting the good fight on life support for 19 days, Joshua has gone off to be with the Lord,” the family updated donors on their GoFundMe page.
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“To everyone who has prayed relentlessly and shared our burden during this trying time, we thank you.” According to the Associated Press, an online obituary states that Haileyesus died last Saturday.
Haileyesus was born just two minutes before his brother, and according to his family, they were inseparable ever since. The pair picked up various hobbies together, including soccer, photography, and 3D modeling software. “Together with his twin brother, he would learn and master new hobbies out of pure curiosity and drive,” their GoFundMe page reads. Haileyesus also leaves behind two other brothers.
His family previously spoke out against the dangers of the “Blackout Challenge,” sometimes referred to as the “Passout Challenge.” PEOPLE reports that the Aurora Police Crimes Against Children’s unit performs an ongoing investigation of the facts surrounding the case. TikTok has been made aware of the dangerous challenge and offered its sympathy to the Haileyesus family. The social media giant also issued a statement and made it clear that they don’t condone dangerous practices on their platform.
“At TikTok, we have no higher priority than protecting the safety of our community, and content that promotes or glorifies dangerous behavior is strictly prohibited and promptly removed to prevent it from becoming a trend on our platform,” TikTok said, according to the Associated Press.
Funeral arrangements for Haileyesus will be shared on the family’s GoFundMe.
