The joyous atmosphere of a child's birthday party is something we all cherish.

It is a time for laughter, celebration, and a bit of silliness.

Yet, sometimes, a supposedly harmless bit could turn into a heart-wrenching tragedy.


Faith Waterman Batistich, a young mum from New Zealand, was eagerly preparing for her daughter's birthday when she decided to do a familiar party trick—inhaling helium from a balloon to make her voice squeaky.

It's a trick many of us have seen or even tried ourselves, often resulting in giggles.

However, for Faith, this innocent act became a fatal error.


After inhaling helium directly from a canister, Faith collapsed in a matter of seconds.

Her twin sister, Eden, who witnessed the horrifying moment, recounted the fatal experience in an interview.

'It went too fast and shot her in the back of the neck. Her last words were literally, "Oh s***", and she dropped,' she shared.

'I was in shock. I froze, and it was like, "What the f***? What am I seeing? Is this for real?" I thought she was putting it on at the start.'


Despite the paramedics' efforts to resuscitate Faith through CPR and four adrenaline shots, Faith could not be revived.

The helium tank, manufactured by Australian brand Alpen, bore the same risks as any other brand.

Yet, people remain unaware of its potential dangers.

This tragic story became a stark reminder of the dangers of inhaling helium.

'Helium is dangerous to inhale because it replaces the oxygen-rich air in our lungs and rapidly leads to loss of oxygen from the body,' UNSW Head of Chemistry Professor Timothy Schmidt explained.

'This condition is known as hypoxia and can be fatal. Breathing pure nitrogen would be just as dangerous.'


Helium itself is not a dangerous chemical, as it is used in diving tanks and medicine due to its noble gas properties.

However, the risk comes from its concentrated form, as it could displace oxygen when inhaled.

Following an inquest into Faith's death, Coroner Louella Dunn recommended helium canister manufacturers to put more prominent warning signs.

She suggested that warnings should be in bold print at the top of the canister.

The warning should read, 'Do not inhale—risk of serious personal injury or death.'

While party tricks like inhaling helium may seem like harmless fun, they could have dire consequences.

Let's keep our celebrations safe and joyful without risking our health or lives for a moment of laughter.
Have you or someone you know ever experienced a close call with this kind of party trick? Please share your stories in the comments below to help raise awareness within our community. Your experience could save a life.