Dying is never pleasant, but choking on a large doughnut is certainly not a preferred way to go. In the competitive world of speed eating, choking presents a serious risk to participants, as evidenced by the recent tragic deaths of two individuals within the same week.
Travis Malouf tragically passed away in Denver while attempting to consume a 250g glazed doughnut in under 80 seconds at the Voodoo pastry chain in America.
Engaged in a challenge to finish the oversized doughnut quickly, Malouf encountered a fatal obstacle when the pastry lodged in his oesophagus, resulting in death by asphyxia.
Witness Julia Edelstein described the doughnut given to Malouf as “the size of a small cake,” part of an ongoing in-store challenge where winners received the pastry for free along with a victory button.
Following the incident, Voodoo Doughnuts discontinued the contest. Edelstein recounted that Malouf divided the enormous doughnut in half and began eating eagerly, with bystanders realizing too late that something was amiss.
Edelstein remarked, “Observing a person in an eating competition, they appear distressed. It all seems like a distress signal. Nobody recognized the severity of the situation until it was too late.”
Moments later, Malouf collapsed. Despite efforts from customers to assist him and prompt emergency response, paramedics declared Malouf dead at the scene.
His demise coincided with the passing of 20-year-old Caitlin Nelson, who choked during a pancake-eating challenge at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut.
Edelstein expressed disbelief, stating, “We were not engaging in dangerous activities. We were just enjoying ourselves. No one anticipated such a tragedy.”
These unfortunate incidents are not isolated, as other speed eaters have also perished while attempting to set records. In 2016, a Japanese man choked to death while endeavoring to consume five sushi balls in three minutes.
The unnamed 28-year-old man lost consciousness during the competition in Hikone and passed away three days later.
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