Duct Tape Challenge: Viral Challenge Puts Teen In Hospital [Graphic Images]


A 14-year-old teen in Washington, Skyler Fish almost lost his life in the duct tape challenge. The duct tape challenge is a viral challenge making its way around the world. During the duct tape challenge, a person is wrapped with duct tape and tries to escape. The Washington teen was no stranger to being wrapped up in duct tape. He and his friends used to duct tape themselves to poles, but this time, the teen was wrapped up while standing up, attached to nothing. While trying to break free, the teen fell to the ground. Being unable to use his hands to protect himself, Skyler hit the ground.

Skyler hit his head on a window and then the concrete below. The impact caused an aneurysm in his brain and a shattered eye socket. Due to his injuries, Skyler has some amnesia that makes it difficult for him to remember much of anything that happened on the fateful day where the duct tape challenge altered the course of his life. What Skyler does remember was what it felt like when he fell to the ground. Skyler says he felt like he had been “hit by a car.” Skyler is now warning people to not try what he tried.

“Teach other kids not to do it. When I think about it, like, I become sad, and then really happy. I’m happy because I survived it. I almost died.”

The duct tape challenge forced Skyler to be hospitalized, and he received 48 stitches in his head. Skyler is also unsure if he will have his vision restored in his left eye after the bones surrounding it were broken. The hospital bills have forced Sarah Fish, Skyler’s mother, to begin a GoFundMe page where she is asking for donations to total $5,000. As of this writing, the GoFundMe page has raised only $640 with 12 donations. Sarah commented on her son’s injuries.

“It was really scary, just seeing my son like this. I want people to stop and think that there are so many risks to any of these challenges. They’re dangerous.”

The local police department conducted a short investigation in order to determine if anything illegal had occurred. The police quickly realized that no assault or other crime took place on the day that Skyler hurt himself during the duct tape challenge. Police determined that Skyler had been the victim of a horrible accident.

Viral challenges cause injuries and death every year. Children and teens attempted these challenges and record the results. Normally, these challenges are then uploaded and shared in the hopes that the video will go viral. It is the internet version of 15 minutes of fame. A list and description of some internet viral challenges are seen below.

  • Fire Challenge – The person attempting the challenge has a flamable liquid poured on part of their body, and they are set on fire.
  • Condom Challenge – A condom is taken and snorted through the nose and pulled out of the mouth.
  • Salt and Ice Challenge – Salt is poured on the person and then ice is applied to the area. This causes intense pain and creates frostbite.
  • Pass Out Challenge – A person has their area obstructed in order to get a high from the lack of oxygen to the brain.

Viral challenges can cause their participants to injure or kill themselves. Is the potential of becoming a viral sensation worth the risk of losing a life?

The duct tape challenge currently has 234,000 results on YouTube.

[Image Via Mario Tama/Getty Images]

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