‘I miss my son’: Household of Worcester teen who died after collaborating in ‘One Chip Problem’ desires spicy chip banned

Native Information

Harris Wolobah died Friday after consuming a super-spicy tortilla chip that is a part of a social media promotion by Paqui Chips.

The household of Harris Wolobah, the Worcester teen who died Friday after collaborating within the “One Chip Problem,” mentioned in an emotional interview with WBZ-TV Tuesday that they need the problem’s spicy chip faraway from retailer cabinets.

“I pray to God that no mother and father will undergo what I’m going via,” Harris’ mom Lois Wolobah instructed the information station in tears. “I don’t need to see anyone hurting the best way I’m hurting. I miss my son a lot.”

Harris, who was a sophomore at Doherty Memorial Excessive Faculty in Worcester, reportedly bought the chip from a pal throughout college on Friday. After consuming the chip, he felt sick and went dwelling. Inside a number of hours, he fainted and died.

The trigger and method of Harris’ dying haven’t been confirmed by the Chief Medical Examiner’s workplace. However Harris’ household believes he died of well being “issues” from consuming the chip.

Paqui Chips, which makes the tortilla chip, warns in opposition to consuming it in case you are allergic to peppers or have any medical issues. However Harris’ household instructed WBZ-TV that he didn’t have any identified pre-existing circumstances or allergy symptoms.

“We’ve been having sleepless nights,” Harris’ father, Amos Wolobah, instructed the information station. “…He’s not going to return again.”

As of Tuesday evening, the Hershey Firm, whose subsidiary owns Paqui Chips, didn’t reply to a number of requests for remark, and seemingly hadn’t issued a press release on Harris’s dying to any information group.

The chip is a part of a promotion referred to as the “One Chip Problem,” daring members to eat the chip — which is made with a number of the world’s hottest peppers — and see how lengthy they’ll go with out consuming or consuming. They’re additionally inspired to movie their expertise and submit it on social media — a apply which has lengthy been common on TikTok.

Paqui Chips’ web site says the chip is meant for grownup consumption, however there may be nothing stopping minors from shopping for the snack. Final 12 months, faculties throughout the nation reported sending college students to the hospital after they ate the chip.

The chip has a major quantity of capsaicin — the chemical that makes sizzling peppers spicy. The Nationwide Capital Poison Middle warns that ingesting giant quantities of capsaicin may cause severe well being issues.

A member of the family has created a GoFundMe marketing campaign to assist the Wolobahs pay for funeral bills. Douglas Hill, Harris’ former basketball coach, can also be internet hosting a basketball exercise at an area church on Saturday that may profit the Wolobah household.

“In occasions like these it’s essential we stand collectively and assist each other as a group,” he wrote in a Fb submit Monday.