Heartbreaking Loss: Parents Forced to Make Devastating Decision for Their 13-Year-Old Daughter
Devastated parents are sharing their tragic story to raise awareness and protect other young lives. Esra Haynes, a 13-year-old athlete and co-captain of Montrose Football Netball Club, tragically lost her life to a viral craze called “chroming.”
Esra was known for her determination, fun spirit, and talent. She led a healthy life, excelling in BMX racing and even guiding her team to a national aerobics championship. However, on March 31 during a sleepover, she made a fateful decision. Wanting to be part of the viral trend, she inhaled a toxic amount of aerosol deodorant, leading to a cardiac arrest and irreversible brain damage.
Her parents, Andrea and Paul, are heartbroken. In an emotional interview on A Current Affair, they shared their pain and issued a warning about the dangers of inhaling toxic chemicals.
“It was just a regular hangout with friends,” Andrea said. “We always knew where she was and who she was with. It was a call no parent should ever receive, ‘Come and get your daughter,’” added Paul.
Initially, Esra’s friends didn’t realize the seriousness of her condition, mistaking it for a panic attack. By the time her mother arrived, paramedics were trying to revive her, revealing that Esra had been “chroming” – a term they had never heard before.
Esra was transferred to the hospital and placed on life support, but just eight hours later, her parents faced the devastating news that her brain was beyond repair. They made the agonizing decision to turn off life support.
Andrea and Paul called their relatives to say their final goodbyes, cuddling Esra until the end. Esra’s siblings, Imogen, Seth, and Charlie, have been shattered by their sister’s loss.
“It’s been the most difficult, traumatic time any parent could go through,” Paul shared. “We haven’t been sleeping, hardly eating, and haven’t been ourselves. But it’s not just us; it’s the whole community.”
Esra’s parents are now determined to put an end to the dangerous trend that claimed their daughter’s life. Paul wishes he had known about “chroming” earlier so he could have warned Esra of the dangers.
“We need to educate these kids directly, not through friends or social media,” he emphasized. “They need the right advice from the start.”
Esra is sadly not the first victim of chroming, as it has claimed the lives of many young people over the years due to its severe risks.
“Our hearts ache with the memories of what we went through,” Paul expressed. “Our gut was torn apart.”
Let’s share this story to raise awareness and prevent other families from experiencing such heartbreaking loss.