Joshua Haileyesus. (Photo courtesy of Nebiyu Asfaw and Hirut Yitayew)
CBS4
12-Year-Old Joshua Haileyesus In Critical Condition After Trying ‘Blackout Challenge’
AURORA, Colo. — Ethiopian community members will gather outside Children’s Hospital on Monday to pray for 12-year-old Joshua Haileyesus. Haileyesus is in critical condition after trying a game called the “Blackout Challenge” which dares participants to choke themselves until they lose consciousness.
On Monday, March 22, Joshua’s twin brother found him unconscious and not breathing on the bathroom floor.
“His twin brother is devastated and misses him very much and can only talk about bringing him home,” organizers told CBS4.
The communal prayer gathering will be from 6-7 p.m. on the lawn of Children’s Hospital Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.
“Joshua has a love for people that you wouldn’t expect in a child. Since he was very young, he always expressed compassion for others,” a family representative said.
“He would pray for people who were sick, stand up for others who were bullied at school, and practice CPR in case he ever needed to save someone else’s life.”
Now, they are praying for his recovery and warning others in the community about the danger of the “game.”
Read more and watch the video at denver.cbslocal.com »
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