Teen narrowly escapes death after attempting ‘duct tape challenge’

A TEENAGER is lucky to be alive after attempting the ‘duct tape challenge’, a dangerous craze doing the rounds online.

WARNING: Disturbing content.

A TEENAGER has ended up in hospital needing 48 staples in his head after attempting the ‘duct tape challenge’, an idiotic craze sweeping the internet.

Skylar Fish, 14, from Washington has been recovering in hospital for more than a week after several attempts at the stupid stunt, which involves people wrapping each other in duct tape and trying to break free. The person is timed to see how long it takes them to escape.

Mr Fish, who had his hair ripped out and might permanently lose vision in his left eye, told reporters he and his mates used the tape to tie each other to poles.

Surveillance footage taken on January 16 shows Mr Fish allowing his friends to wrap him up while standing. He then fell while attempting to break free of the tape, hitting his head on a metal window frame and crushing his eye socket and cheek bone when he landed on the concrete.

The photographs, posted on KIRO 7 journalist Siemny Kim’s Facebook page, show the extent of Mr Fish’s injuries as he lies in hospital.

Skylar Fish’s ‘duct tape challenge’ attempt might leave him blind in one eye. Picture: Facebook / Siemny Kim

The impact of Skylar Fish’s fall crushed his eye socket, cheekbone and caused bleeding on his brain that required immediate surgery. Picture: Facebook / Siemny Kim

The teen’s mother said the fall caused a brain aneurysm.

“If he would have hit on it differently, an inch over, he could have died,” Sarah Fish told local Fox affiliate KCPQ. “If his friend didn’t flip him over when he was having a seizure and choking up blood, he could have died.”

Footage of the ‘duct tape challenge’ that led to Skylar Fish’s fall. Picture: Kiro

Mr Fish told Kiro 7 News he remembers very little from that day but admitted, “I’m just, actually, really lucky to be alive”.

Mrs Fish wants to warn others about attempting the challenge.

“I want people to stop and think that there are so many risks to any of these challenges,” she said. “They’re dangerous.”

A YouTube search for ‘duct tape challenge’ produces more than 200,000 videos of people attempting the bizarre act, with most of the clips posted within the past year.