In September of 2018, 11-year-old Tyler Broome suffered injuries normally seen in fighter pilots after participating in a YouTube challenge called “Roundabout of Death.”
And the stunt nearly lived up to its name.
A “stupid” prank
The preteen was with a group of older children at a park in Tuxford, Nottinghamshire, when he suggested they partake in the online challenge. Hundreds of videos of people trying it had already been posted online.
In a video shared by his mother, Dawn Hollingworth, Tyler can be seen lying spread-eagled across the top of the roundabout as it spins around. It’s already a dangerous stunt no matter what force is spinning the playground ride.
But in this case, the roundabout is spun at high speed using the back wheel of a moped.
As you might imagine, most of the videos end with the prankster being thrown off the roundabout.
Tyler passed out, his head jerking forward.
The result? Blood rushed to his head so quickly that he suffered from “redout,” which is caused by extreme negative g-force. His face was swollen and bruised. He threw up and passed out.
The aftermath
Hollingworth was horrified when she saw her son.
“The injuries were so extreme, he just looked like the Elephant Man. They have never seen it before, they are going to make a medical report from it. His head has completely swelled up, his blood vessels have burst, his eyes look alien. His vision is blurry. You can manage a broken arm but this? He doesn’t remember it, he doesn’t remember the detail,” she told The Independent.
Then, his teenage acquaintances left him there, even laughing when he passed out.
It was only when another boy passed by later that Tyler got the help he needed.
He could have died.
A dire warning
“The doctors said if he was not fit and healthy he could have quite easily had a stroke and died,” Hollingworth said.
She hopes to raise awareness of just how much damage the stunt can do. And while she’s not defending her son’s decision, she is troubled that he was left alone after the accident.
“Tyler is aware he has done wrong and his injuries are caused by his own stupidity. But once he was unconscious he was unable to consent but they carried on and left him.”
Tyler refuses to watch the video of the stunt that almost killed him. And he needed more than medical assistance following the incident – he needed trauma counseling as well.
Lasting consequences
Tyler is not in the clear. He was in critical condition for some time, but give the all-clear to return home for Christmas that year.
The long-term effects of the incident won’t fully be known for some time – he could have permanent brain damage.
“Our concern now is how he recovers from the incident mentally, but we won’t see how much it will affect him until he gets older,’ his mother said.
What surprised Hollingworth the most was that after she shared Tyler’s story and the images of his injuries – and even after police warned kids about trying the prank on playgrounds – the “Roundabout of Death” never died.
“I cannot believe that incidents like this are still happening. When I shared photos that showed the extent of my son’s injuries, I thought that would stop children from ever doing this again.”
Unfortunately, dozens of videos of the “stupid” stunt remain online for kids to replicate.
You can scroll down below to see Hollingsworth’s original Facebook post.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
