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Teen gets heart attack from playing Sonic, dies

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P

Pikawil

Unconfirmed Member
Lock if old.

A UK teen with an undiagnosed condition suffered a heart attack while playing Xbox, and later died after two days on life support. He was 16.

Jake Gallagher was playing his favorite Sonic The Hedgehog game in April when he had Sudden Arrhythmic Death Syndrome, The Sun reported today. He was revived by first responders but declared brain dead and went on life support.

His mother, 46-year-old Sarah Pyatt, told the paper. "Sonic The Hedgehog was his favorite. He would get over-excited, jumping up and down, screaming at the screen."

[...]

A hospital professor in London told reporters that there is a "definite risk in predisposed young people playing video games that causes surges of adrenalin in the blood."
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/16/jake-gallagher-xbox-heart-attack_n_3605082.html
 
C

CTLance

Member
Well, at least he died while doing what he loved most. RIP, Jake.

Edit: beaten like Robotnik by Smooth Operator. Darn.
 
S

SparkTR

Member
How does this happen? I remember a classmate died from the same thing after a run, he was extremely fit as well.
 
A

AzureSkies

Member
edgardavids said:
Which sonic game was it?
Click to expand...
Sonic_the_Hedgehog_Next-Gen_Box_Art.JPG
 
Robin64

Robin64

Member
A hospital professor in London told reporters that there is a "definite risk in predisposed young people playing video games that causes surges of adrenalin in the blood."
Click to expand...

And, in fact, most other activities that young people do.
 
R

Rich!

Member
Someone I know died from this exact same condition, but during a game of football. Collapsed, died in the air ambulance. I do a charity event for CRY (charity) every year or so to raise money.

even so, fucking lol at the first post.
 
H

Hanmik

Member
SparkTR said:
How does this happen? I remember a classmate died from the same thing after a run, he was extremely fit as well.
Click to expand...

this kid had Asperger´s Syndrome. Which means he probably played the same game over and over, because it was part of his routine. When people with this syndrome do these kind of "routine activities", they tend to get over excited and sometimes that can cause a heart attack..

it´s a combination of his disease, physical state and stress...
 
B

BGBW

Maturity, bitches.
Codeblue said:
Sudden arrhythmia death syndrome has more to do with genetics than anything else.
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Just saying why it could belong on gaming side rather than off topic.

Of course the big fear is if one gets an adrenalin rush during a pleasure session. In those last moments you'll need to close the tabs and pull your trousers up.
 
I

IMGF

Neo Member
John Dunbar said:
gotta go fast.
Click to expand...

Goddamit, why did I laugh so hard.


But I'm not really seeing the connection to Sonic as I don't think the actual game killed him, but rather the condition of his heart. Though, if he was playing Sonic 06, I immediately see why he would have a heart attack. I nearly did too surviving my way through it.
 
DiscoJer

DiscoJer

Member
While you think it would be anything that got people excited, Berzerk gave two different people heart attacks, and I don't think any other old arcade game even had one. Hell, I think Defender/Stargate would be the one to cause deaths, people really got worked up over that.

Or DDR, for more recent games.
 
Z

Zukuu

Banned
So young... da fuq.

You are never safe. Everyone can be "the other one" it happens to. No matter the shit. Better enjoy your life. I do.
 
B

BGBW

Maturity, bitches.
Sheroking said:
Lots of awesome things cause a sudden surge of adrenaline. Sports, sex, a really good theatre experience, etc.
Click to expand...
I suppose the difference is that many see videogames as a way to wind down and thus don't realise that they too can cause the rush in adrenaline.
 
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