A 22-year-old man is in a critical condition after swallowing an entire burger “as a joke” during a meal with friends.
He was rushed to the intensive care unit of G. Gennimatas Hospital in Koropi, Greece, on Thursday, November 13, according to Mail Online.
Doctors say he remains on a ventilator and in life-threatening condition, as significant damage to several vital organs has made stabilizing him extremely difficult.
One friend present at the time recalled that the man began to panic before collapsing. Speaking to local media, he said: “He had something like a panic attack. He got up and moved away a bit — we thought he was going to spit it out and didn’t want to make a mess. But he didn’t. He started to come back, then went away again as if to spit it out. We thought, ‘Okay, now it’s coming.’ But it didn’t.”
The friend continued: “Then he came back again, and that’s when we realized something was wrong — he was hitting his back against a column, probably trying to get it out.”
He also insisted the man had not attempted the stunt as part of a challenge: “He just said, ‘Look.’ If you want to call it something, call it a joke.”
The man reportedly stopped breathing for two minutes, prompting serious concerns among medical experts.
Michalis Giannakos, President of the Panhellenic Federation of Public Hospital Workers (POEDHN), said: “Only a miracle can save him — he is in an extremely critical condition.” He also questioned how a young person could attempt swallowing a whole burger without chewing, noting that even with first aid, a doctor’s intervention is crucial when the brain is deprived of oxygen.
Police spokesperson Konstantina Dimoglidou said investigators intend to review restaurant footage to determine whether anyone encouraged the dangerous act.
Matina Pagoni, former president of the Athens-Piraeus Hospital Doctors Association (EINAP), described the situation as “tragic,” adding: “A 22-year-old who went to Koropi just to have some fun is now intubated and in extremely critical condition, with very serious damage to his brain, kidneys, and other organs.”
