A MAN is fighting for his life in intensive care after attempting to swallow a burger whole “for a joke”.
Doctors say it will now take a “miracle” to save the 22-year-old, who has suffered irreversible damage.
The man was attempting a dangerous social media challenge involving gulping down an entire burger without chewing when he began to choke.
The man’s friend was filming him at a fast-food restaurant in Koropi, a town near Athens.
The friend said: “He had something like a panic attack.
“He gets up and runs a bit further away, we thought he was going to spit it out and didn’t want to make a mess around others. He didn’t do that.”
“We realised something was wrong when he was hitting his back against a column, probably trying to spit it out.
We thought, “Okay, now it’s coming. That didn’t happen either’.
“We realised something was wrong was when he was hitting his back against a column, probably trying to spit it out or something.”
The young man is now suffering from serious complications to vital organs, including his brain and kidneys.
Michalis Giannakos, President of the Panhellenic Federation of Public Hospital Workers (POEDHN), said: “He can only be saved by a miracle, he is in a very critical condition.”
The stunt has left him on a ventilator and in a life-threatening condition, and Giannakos said he has suffered “irreparable damage”.
Cops said they would be assessing CCTV footage from the restaurant to determine whether anyone encouraged him.
Former president of the Athens-Piraeus Hospital Doctors Association (EINAP), Matina Pagoni, said: “These are tragic circumstances. A 22-year-old young man who went to Koropi just to have some fun is now intubated and in extremely critical condition.”
It comes as a young mum tragically died after taking part in a dangerous drinking challenge during a nightclub birthday bash.
Maria Jose Ardila, 23, suffered alcohol poisoning after she took up a challenge to race against time and drink six rounds of different liquors for a £300 cash prize.
The young agro-industrial engineering student had accepted a challenge from the nightclub during a party in Cali, Colombia.
According to her family, Maria was hoping to win the money and help out a friend with financial struggles.
Footage shows her drinking several different alcoholic beverages in rapid succession as part of the contest.
At first, she is seen kneeling while another person pours alcohol straight into her mouth.
She was then seen standing around a table with several people and drinking more alcohol before taking several shots through a plastic straw.
She can be heard saying: “It tastes disgusting.”
Maria is said to have collapsed and choked on her own vomit towards the end of the challenge.
