Giant Marshmallows – be careful!

A tragic true story from a family member…

Have you seen the giant marshmallows in the stores yet? They are about four times the size of regular marshmallows. They look like fun, don’t they? They look like something the kids would just love! In fact, some kids try a contest to see how many marshmallows they can fit in their mouths at once.

Before you buy them let me tell you a story. My sister must have thought they were pretty cool when she saw them and bought a bag to share with her friends. After supper she joyfully passed them out so everyone could enjoy them with her.

We think she must have popped the whole thing in her mouth as we all do with a regular sized marshmallow. We can’t ask her if that is how it happened because we never got a chance to have another conversation with her. When she tried to swallow it got stuck. It blocked her airway. Even though the Heimlich maneuver was performed immediately, because the marshmallow was so soft and sticky, it wouldn’t come out. Her airway remained blocked. 911 was called, and CPR began immediately. The ambulance got there in record time. Ambulance personnel got the tube in her throat and quickly transported her to the hospital. When the doctor went to adjust the position of the tube, that marshmallow popped out. They were amazed. They had never seen a patient in this situation because of a marshmallow.

We choose to think of our sister’s passing as something that happened while she was doing two things she loved to do – sharing with friends and having something a little bit sweet to eat.

So in the end, we are asking you to think twice before you give these enormous treats to your child or to an impaired person. It could be the last thing you ever do for them.