A 19-year-old from Arizona has died after reportedly taking part in a viral TikTok trend known as “dusting”, which involves inhaling aerosols such as spray deodorant, paint thinner, or keyboard cleaner—a growing concern for many parents as these substances are easy for teens to access.
Renna O’Rourke was admitted to intensive care after suffering a cardiac arrest believed to have been caused by inhaling a household cleaning product. After spending several days in hospital, she was later declared brain dead.
Parents speak out to raise awareness
Her parents have since spoken publicly in an effort to raise awareness about the risks associated with such social media challenges. Her father, Aaron O’Rourke, recalled that his daughter had always aspired to gain recognition, saying: “She always said, ‘I’m going to be famous, Dad. Just watch.’ Unfortunately, it’s not in the way she would have hoped.”
Renna’s mother, Dana, highlighted how easily accessible such substances can be to young people. “There’s no ID required. It’s odourless. It’s affordable and doesn’t show up on standard drug tests,” she told local media.
She also stated that Renna and her boyfriend had used a delivery app to order the cleaning product to the house, unaware of what it would be used for. “It was keyboard cleaner. I didn’t realise what they were doing with it,” she said.
Organ donation and fundraising efforts
The family has chosen to speak publicly about their daughter’s death in the hope that it will prevent other families from experiencing a similar tragedy.
Dana said, “We want to use our loss to ensure no other parent has to go through the experience of seeing their child on life support.”
Following her death, Renna’s organs were donated to help others in need. “That has given us a sense of purpose during this time,” her mother added.
A fundraising page was established to assist the family with medical expenses, funeral costs, counselling, and to help promote awareness about the dangers of inhalant abuse. The page describes Renna as someone who brought light into every room and expresses the profound grief felt by those who knew her.
