Renna O'Rourke dies attempting dangerous online 'dusting' challenge
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A fame-seeking teenager died attempting an alarming social-media challenge called “dusting,” according to her heartbroken parents.

Renna O’Rourke, who was 19 years old and from Arizona, tragically passed away on a Sunday. She had engaged in a dangerous online trend known as chroming, where individuals record themselves inhaling compressed gas dusters, such as keyboard cleaning spray, in an attempt to get high and gain attention on the internet.

Her father, Aaron O’Rourke, shared that his daughter had aspirations of becoming famous but sadly, her actions led to a devastating outcome. He expressed his sorrow by stating, “She always said, ‘I’m gonna be famous, Dad. Just you watch. I’m gonna be famous,’ and unfortunately, this is not under the most optimal of circumstances.”

Following the incident, the teenager from Tempe suffered cardiac arrest and was swiftly taken to the hospital. Despite efforts to save her, she remained unconscious in the intensive-care unit for a week until doctors determined that she was brain-dead.

Her cause of death was sudden-sniffing-death syndrome, or inhalant abuse.


Renna O'Rourke,
Renna O’Rourke, 19, died Sunday after trying the “dusting” challenge. Aaron O’Rourke/Facebook

“We don’t have children to bury them,” Renna’s mother, Dana, said through tears.

Dr. Randy Weisman, who heads the intensive care unit at Arizona’s HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center, said dusting makes the user feel high for a couple of minutes — but in that short amount of time, it can have an irreversible impact.

“When [people] inhale these chemicals in the gas, it will actually replace the oxygen within their lungs and within the rest of their body,” he told AZ Family.

“Failure of the liver, heart failure, disease of the lungs,” Weisman said of the resulting dangers.

Renna’s parents said they are sharing their tragic story to raise awareness about the fatal trend.


"Dusting" is a dangerous social media trend in which participants huff keyboard cleaner.
“Dusting” is a dangerous social media trend in which participants huff keyboard cleaner. Igor Nikushin – stock.adobe.com

“There’s no ID required” to buy the cleaner, Dana O’Rourke said. “[The spray] is odorless.

“[The method of getting high] is everything kids look for. They can afford it, they can get it, and it doesn’t show in Mom and Dad’s drug test.

“Don’t take your kid’s word for it. Dig deep. Search their rooms. Don’t trust — and that sounds horrible, but it could save their life,” she added.

Dusting users get high off chemicals that are different than the other inhalants also popular among teens, such as “whippets,” Dr. Weisman said.

Both are equally unsafe, he said, urging parents to talk to their children about the dangers of abusing household products.

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