Man, 22, fights for life after swallowing a whole burger without chewing it ‘for a joke’
A 22-year-old young man who swallowed an entire hamburger ‘as a joke’ on Thursday is fighting for his life in the hospital.
It was reported that the man, whose name was not disclosed, was connected to a ventilator because he seriously damaged his vital organs after allegedly making a joke during dinner with his friends.
On November 13, he was admitted to the intensive care unit of G. Gennimatas Hospital in the town of Koropi, Greece, and his condition is critical.
A friend who was with him at the time said that the man panicked and collapsed after swallowing the hamburger.
They told local media: ‘He had something like a panic attack. He got up and ran a little further away, so we thought he was going to spit and we didn’t want to infect others.
‘He didn’t do that. He moves to come back and then walks away again to spit. We thought, “Okay, now it’s coming.” That didn’t happen either.”
The friend added: ‘Then he starts coming back again and the moment we realized something was wrong was when he hit his back against a pillar, probably trying to spit it out or something.’
He also denied that the man shoved the burger into his mouth as a challenge: ‘He just said, ‘Look.’ If you want to call it something, call it a joke.’
A 22-year-old man who swallowed an entire hamburger while eating with his friends ‘as a joke’ is fighting for his life in the hospital (file picture)
The man is believed to have stopped breathing for two minutes.
Michalis Giannakos, president of the Panhellenic Federation of Public Hospital Employees (POEDHN), said: ‘He can only be saved by a miracle, his condition is very critical.’
Giannakos also questioned how a person could swallow an entire burger without chewing.
“Even if first aid is given, medical intervention is required because irreparable damage occurs when the brain is deprived of oxygen,” he said.
Local police spokeswoman Konstantina Dimoglidou said authorities would seek footage from the restaurant to determine whether anyone encouraged him to perform the alleged prank.
Matina Pagoni, former president of the Athens-Piraeus Hospital Doctors Association (EINAP), said:: ‘These are tragic situations.
‘The 22-year-old young man, who went to Koropi just to have some fun, is now intubated and his condition is extremely critical; There are very serious problems affecting his brain, kidneys and all his organs.’
