The community of Worcester, Massachusetts is in a state of grief as a local school grapples with the sudden loss of one of its own. Harris Wolobah, a 14-year-old tenth grader attending Doherty Memorial High School, tragically passed away on the same day he partook in the popular online trend known as the “One Chip Challenge.”
The challenge centers around a particularly spicy tortilla chip, produced since 2016 by the Paqui brand, a subsidiary of The Hershey Company under Amplify Snack Brands, Inc. The challenge-winner claims to have conquered one of the planet’s spiciest chips.
Preliminary investigation disclosed that young Wolobah consumed the fiery chip on a Friday and, unfortunately, succumbed later that day. However, law enforcement noted that it remains undetermined if the food item directly contributed to his demise.
The late student’s family narrated that he was at school at the time of eating the chip, subsequently visiting the nurse’s office before eventually heading home. On reaching home, Wolobah tragically passed out, urging an emergency call for first responders who rushed him to a nearby hospital. Despite their best efforts, Wolobah failed to survive.
“As an educator and mother, I find it hard to comprehend the profound grief his family, friends and teachers are going through,” expressed Rachel Monarrez, the Superintendent of Worcester Public Schools. “My heart extends to all who cherished and loved him.”
Douglas Hill, Wolobah’s basketball coach for the St. Bernard’s Church team, remembered him as a dedicated player. “I extend my deepest sympathies to his family and him,” said Hill. “It’s a regrettable situation where he wasn’t at fault.”
Paqui’s official website carries a warning that the One Chip Challenge is not for the faint-hearted and if signs of difficulty in breathing, prolonged nausea or fainting emerge, medical help should immediately be sought.
Dr. Lauren Rice, the chief of pediatric emergency medicine at Tufts Medical Center, emphasized that consuming an item with extreme spiciness could potentially trigger various adverse side effects, including burning sensation in the mouth or lips to even heart complications.
As of now, Paqui has not issued a comment regarding the incident.
Meanwhile, The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is diligently working to ascertain Wolobah’s cause of death. Grief support resources are being arranged by the district for fellow students and staff shaken by this untimely loss.
