"One Chip Challenge" blamed for San Francisco boy's "poisoning"
SAN FRANCISCO -- In San Francisco, the "One Chip Challenge" gave one family quite a scare, they say, after their 6th grader ate the chip and went into a near seizure-like state.
The challenge from Austin, Texas tortilla chip maker Paqui involved sampling a chip said to be among the spiciest in the world, and then going as long as possible before drinking anything to reduce the burn.
The chip comes in a coffin-shaped box and is guaranteed to shock the taste buds.
John Pedigo didn't initially know that his son took the challenge when he received a call saying his son was "poisoned" at school.
"All these things are going through my head: 'Who poisoned him? Who could've given him something like that?'" John Pedigo said.
The panic subsided when Pedigo reached the school and found out what really had happened.
"The administrator said he participated in the One Chip Challenge and I was like, 'You got to be kidding me. Is that what this is?''" Pedigo said.
His son Jack said that, after eating the chip, he started breathing heavily and then the vomiting began.
"When I ate the chip, it was really spicy and all. When it was gone, I was fine. Then I was sick, I was in the office and my stomach started hurting, my hands were stuck in this position. I couldn't move them. I could barely open them up. It felt like they weren't even my hands," Jack said.
The Pedigos are thankful that it wasn't worse, especially after hearing about a teen's death in Massachusetts which is possibly linked to the One Chip Challenge.
"I would just want to spread awareness to other parents who might see this stuff or hear their kids talking about it or see the TikTok stuff and make aware that it's not for kids," Pedigo explained.
This incident comes after a Massachusetts teen, 14, died after trying the challenge on September 1, his parents say. They are now waiting for the results of an autopsy.
On Thursday, Paqui pulled the adults-only chip from shelves, citing the increasing use of the product by teens.
