Chris Staniforth was standing outside of a jobs centre, awaiting an interview, when he dropped a pack of chewing gum. When he reached to pick it up, he began to spasm. In moments, he was dead.
Actual cause of death: pulmonary embolism as a result of deep vein thrombosis. Proximate cause of death: Playing his Xbox 360.
That’s the reasoning of the coroner and the parents of Staniforth, a Sheffield, England 20-year-old who was like most guys his age, especially in his enjoyment of video games. The problem is that he’d game for incredibly long periods, up to 12 hours, without getting up to take a stretch.
“Kids all over the country are playing these games for long periods,” his dad told The Sun. “they don’t realise it could kill them.”
The Sun showed remarkable restraint in reporting this tragedy without hacking Staniforth’s cell phone. It did, however, diagnose him as a video game addict in the headline and second paragraph. For his part, Staniforth’s father says he does not blame video games, consoles or their makers for his son’s death.
But he has launched a campaign to raise awareness about the risks of deep vein thrombosis associated with gaming for hours on end. Microsoft, reached for comment by The Sun, said it recommends periodic breaks from gaming “to exercise as well as make time for other pursuits.” Good advice.
Game Addict, 20, is Killed by Deep Vein Thrombosis [The Sun, thanks Ricky B. Image via The Sun]
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