Teen dies after taking part in deadly viral ‘dusting’ challenge as parents issue stark warning
8 June 2025, 12:01 | Updated: 9 June 2025, 10:29
A teenager has died after taking part in a viral social media trend known as “dusting”.
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Arizona teen Renna O'Rourke passed away following a week in an intensive care unit.
The 19-year-old had taken part in the “dusting” trend, where young people film themselves inhaling aerosols like spray deodorant, paint thinner or keyboard cleaner.
O'Rourke reportedly entered cardiac arrest after inhaling a cleaning product, before later being declared brain dead.
Read more: Baby found dead at home as police launch probe into 'unexplained' tragedy
Paying tribute to his young daughter, Aaron O’Rourke said his daughter had always dreamed of being famous.
"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,” he told AZFamily.
Renna’s mum and dad shared the tragic story in a bid to raise awareness for the deadly social media trend.
Her mum Dana said: "There's no ID required. It's odorless. It's everything kids look for.
"They can afford it, they can get it, and it doesn't show in mom and dad's drug test."
Renna and her boyfriend had used an app delivery service get the cleaning product delivered to her door, Dana added.
"[Renna] and her boyfriend had Door Dashed product to my house and I didn't know,” she told 12News.
"It's keyboard cleaner. I didn't know what they were doing with it.
"We want to make sure that we use our tragedy so that no other parent has to experience looking at their child on life support and a ventilator and not breathing on her own all because she huffed out of a can."
Following her passing, Renna’s organs were donated to at least six other people, her mum added.
"Through that we're finding strength and purpose,” Dana said.
"She will be unbelievably missed, leaving the most aching hole in our lives, but if her life is to mean anything, we are going to do what we can to prevent somebody else's child from being where ours is right now.
"She will be unbelievably missed, leaving the most aching hole in our lives, but if her life is to mean anything, we are going to do what we can to prevent somebody else's child from being where ours is right now."
A GoFundMe had been set up to support the teen’s family, reading: "On Sunday, June 1st at 1:30pm, our wonderful daughter, after 4 days in the ICU, was pronounced brain dead.
"She was the light in every room she walked into, and the pain that her family and friends feel is simply immeasurable.
"We want to use the proceeds of this fundraiser to cover the extensive medical bills, burial costs, therapy costs, and to spread awareness about the dangers of Huffing/Dusting, the practice of inhaling keyboard cleaner or similar."
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