Mum warns viral duct tape challenge can be fatal after son ends up in hospital

A mother whose son ended up in emergency surgery is warning the public that a goofy "duct tape challenge" made popular on YouTube could have fatal consequences. The duct tape challenge involves binding another person in duct tape and seeing — and often filming — how long it takes to break free, usually with hilarious results.

But suburban Seattle resident Skylar Fish, 14, was rushed by ambulance to hospital after falling and hitting his head and cutting his eye on a metal window frame while bound, before slamming into a concrete floor. The impact crushed his eye socket and cheekbone and caused bleeding on his brain

Fish had 48 staples in his head and he may have possible permanent damage to his eye, including blindness. Fish's injuries were so severe that local police opened an investigation because suspicion of foul play, but have determined it was simply a very serious accident.

"I don't know what I would do if I lost him," his mother, Sarah Fish, told the local Fox TV station. "If he would have hit on it differently, an inch over, he could have died. If his friend didn't flip him over when he was having a seizure and choking up blood, he could have died."

Kids are "just looking at what's fun, what's cool, what's going to impress their friends. 'I can break out of this duct tape. I'm the strongest. I'm the best,' she added. "They're not thinking what if I fall and hit my head. "

I'm really lucky to be alive," said Fisher. "It seems like I was hit by a car."

Teens doing crazy things comes down to one thing: peer pressure, said Dr. Mark Newton, the Medical Director for Emergency Services at Doctor's Hospital in Georgia. "It goes to wanting to be included. They're doing somersaults close to an edge on a drop off on the mountains. It's just not a smart thing to do," he said.