The unimaginable loss has turned their lives upside down.
Esra Haynes’ story has pulled the nation together. She is a vibrant 13-year-old girl whose story has forced her parents to embark on a mission to prevent similar tragedies.
Esra was co-captain of her under-14 girls’ football team and an avid BMX rider who was recognized for her athletic abilities and zest for life. In case you missed: Tragic End for Vegan Influencer Following Extreme Fruit Diet at 39
She was a student at Lilydale High School and an excellent dancer, and her future was bright with endless possibilities.
In March 2023, what was supposed to be a routine sleepover with friends for Esra led her into the shadow of an increasingly dangerous trend that she didn’t know about.
The community is in disbelief as she was a popular and promising teenager.
Also read: 11-Year-Old Boy Dies ‘Immediately’ After Doing New Chroming Trend
Teenagers are alarmingly becoming obsessed with the practice of ‘chroming‘, which involves inhaling toxic fumes from household products such as aerosol sprays.
Once a fleeting euphoria is created, it is dangerous, creating severe brain damage and cardiac arrest because of this activity.
This was the trend Esra was partaking in when disaster struck, and she fell into cardiac arrest. Quickly, paramedics arrived and found her to be unresponsive and rushed her to the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.
The damage to her brain was deemed irreversible, and doctors’ best efforts could not help because she had been without oxygen for too long.
Esra’s family stayed by her side for eight agonising days, only to end up making an unimaginable decision.
Eventually, Andrea and Paul Haynes had to make the heart-wrenching decision to turn off their daughter’s life support.
Imogen, Seth, and Charlie were her siblings who joined them in her final moments, giving her love and comfort as they said their goodbyes.
To protect other families from going through the same pain, the Haynes family has vowed to raise awareness about the dangers of chroming in their grief.
In a public plea, Paul Haynes said, “We want to help other children not fall into the silly trap of doing this.”
Imogen, Esra’s sister, has also taken up the cause to raise awareness of the risks of chroming.
“No man should go through what happened to Rodney.” They have a mission to prevent further tragedies and that’s absolutely horrible,” she said.
Huffing is not a new practice, but it is a disturbing one, and the habit is showing a worrisome resurgence particularly among teenagers.
In the case of chroming, the substances that people inhale include glue, aerosols and solvents, and these can result in dizziness, hallucinations and loss of coordination.
But they are by no means benign effects, capable of causing permanent damage to the brain, heart and other important organs. In the worst cases, such as with Esra, it can be fatal within moments.
More and more medical experts and authorities are alarmed at the increasing prevalence of chroming among the young.
Teens and parents are being educated about the irreversible dangers associated with this activity via campaigns.
The entire devastating reality behind the story is revealed: Esra Haynes, a young promising girl became a victim of the chroming craze sweeping youth.
Its family’s battle to raise awareness comes with the wish that no other parent has to endure the pain of losing a child to this very dangerous behavior.
And for Esra’s story now to become a call to action, for them to be vigilant and to learn, hopefully save lives.
