SAN FRANCISCO — In San Francisco, the “One Chip Challenge” has given one family quite a scare. This after their sixth grader ate the chip and left him in an almost seizure-like state.
The challenge set by Paqui, maker of tortilla chips from Austin, Texas, was to taste a chip said to be one of the spiciest in the world and then go for as long as possible before drinking something to reduce the burn.
The one chip comes in a coffin-shaped box and is guaranteed to shock the taste buds. John Pedigo was initially unaware that his son was taking the challenge when he received a call that his son had been poisoned at school.
“All these things go through my mind. Who poisoned him? Who could have given him such a thing?’ said John Pedigo.
The panic subsided when Pedigo reached the school and found out what had really happened.
“The administrator said he had participated in the one-chip challenge and I thought, ‘You’re kidding. Is that what this is?'”
His son Jack said that after eating the chip, he started breathing heavily and then started vomiting.
“When I ate the chip, it was very spicy and everything. When it was gone, I was fine, then I got sick, I was in the office and my stomach started to hurt, my hands were stuck in this position. I could.” I could barely move them. It felt like it wasn’t even my hands,” Jack said.
The Pedigos are thankful it wasn’t worse, especially after learning about the death of a Massachusetts teenager, which may be related to the One Chip Challenge.
“I would just like to spread awareness to other parents who might see this stuff, or hear their kids talking about it or see the TikTok thing, and make them aware that it’s not for kids,” said John Pedigo.
As for Jack, there’s no way he’ll ever do the challenge again.
“Lesson learned. I don’t have to say anything. What happened to him, I don’t think he’ll ever do it again,” said his father.
