Dusting: Family's grief as Renna O'Rourke, 19, dies after social media craze

Renna O’Rourke, 19, died after four days in intensive care after being pronounced brain dead.

She was taking part in a stunt called “dusting” - also known as “chroming” or “huffing” - in which participants inhale an aerosol, often computer dusting spray. The odourless, colourless spray has no restrictions on its purpose, and can make people feel drunk or euphoric if inhaled - but is in fact just replacing the oxygen in their lungs.

Renna’s heartbroken dad Aaron posted on Facebook: “There's a lot of things that no one should ever have to do, and today I have to do one of them. Say goodbye to my beautiful, wonderful girl Renna. From the moment she was born she could light up a room.

“Everyone that met her always said she had a special spark to her. I'm going to miss talking to her about how cute it was when she was not even 2 years old and I would say let's kick it and she would kick her foot out. Or how she would just make up songs off the cuff and have me record them. Or how when I offered money to the kids if they could beat me at a board game she studied the hell out of Azul and got better than me at it.

“I'm currently stunned and broken. It doesn't even feel real. You will always be my little Ren Bear, and you will be missed more than you will ever know, by so many more people than just me.”

The grieving family have promised to campaign against the deadly trend, and gave an emotional interview to American outlet AZ Family, in which they said their daughter always dreamed of being famous.

Aaron and his wife Dana, Renna’s mum, explained that Renna, from Tempe, Arizona, was keen on fame.

He said: “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.”

Dana, sobbing, added: “She was vivacious, caring and loyal.”

The family has started a GoFundMe page to help with medical bills and funeral costs, and to spread the word about the dangers of dusting.

The fundraising page says: “On Sunday, June 1 at 1.30 pm, our wonderful daughter, after four 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. We are currently pursuing legislation to help prevent any other families from having to go through this.”

Renna’s cause of death was sudden sniffing death syndrome, AZ Family reported.

What is dusting or huffing?

The Talk to Frank UK drugs information service says: “Because glues, gases, solvents and aerosols are available as household products, some people think they are safe to use, but they’re not. There are over 50 deaths a year involving glues, gases, solvents and aerosols. Of the substances, butane is involved in the most deaths.

“Inhaling glues, gases, solvents and/or aerosols can cause confusion, slurred speech, mood swings, aggressive behaviour, hallucinations, vomiting, blackouts and breathing difficulties. They can also cause your heart to go out of rhythm, which if severe, can lead to a heart attack.”

And Re-Solv, which specialises in solvent abuse help, says: “It doesn’t matter how often someone has used solvents; there is always the risk of death. There is no such thing as a ‘safe’ way to do it that will take away the risk of death from heart failure.”

AZ Family quoted Dr Randy Weisman, who leads the ICU at HonorHealth Scottsdale Osborn Medical Center, who said people who “dust” can feel drunk and euphoric, but only for a few minutes.

“When they inhale these chemicals in the gas it will actually replace the oxygen within their lungs and within the rest of their body,” he continued, adding that this can result in “failure of the liver, heart failure, disease of the lungs.”