Woman Dies After Water-Drinking Contest - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Janice · 01-14-2007, 12:31 PM

http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/woman-dies-after-water-drinking-contest/20070114070709990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001

Woman Dies After Water-Drinking Contest

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Jan. 14) - A woman who competed in a radio station's contest to see how much water she could drink without going to the bathroom died of water intoxication, the coroner's office said Saturday.

The radio station promised the "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" contest winner a Nintendo Wii video game console.

Jennifer Strange, 28, was found dead Friday in her suburban Rancho Cordova home hours after taking part in the "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" contest in which KDND 107.9 promised a Nintendo Wii video game system for the winner.

"She said to one of our supervisors that she was on her way home and her head was hurting her real bad," said Laura Rios, one of Strange's co-workers at Radiological Associates of Sacramento. "She was crying and that was the last that anyone had heard from her."

It was not immediately know how much water Strange consumed.

A preliminary investigation found evidence "consistent with a water intoxication death," said assistant Coroner Ed Smith.

John Geary, vice president and marketing manager for Entercom Sacramento, the station's owner, said station personnel were stunned when they heard of Strange's death.

"We are awaiting information that will help explain how this tragic event occurred," he said.

Initially, contestants were handed eight-ounce bottles of water to drink every 15 minutes.
"They were small little half-pint bottles, so we thought it was going to be easy," said fellow contestant James Ybarra of Woodland. "They told us if you don't feel like you can do this, don't put your health at risk."

Ybarra said he quit after drinking five bottles. "My bladder couldn't handle it anymore," he added.

After he quit, he said, the remaining contestants, including Strange, were given even bigger bottles to drink.

"I was talking to her and she was a nice lady," Ybarra said. "She was telling me about her family and her three kids and how she was doing it for kids."

Brian Damage · 01-14-2007, 12:36 PM

What a sad story and a STUPID contest. I never heard of water intoxication before.

Janice · 01-14-2007, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

What a sad story and a STUPID contest. I never heard of water intoxication before.

When my sisters and I were young, we used to go on all these crazy diets. We probably weighed all of 115 pounds, lol. We would drink endless water. My mother used to tell us to stop and that a person can "drown themselves." We used to think she was crazy. Maybe that's what she meant.

Brian Damage · 01-14-2007, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janice

When my sisters and I were young, we used to go on all these crazy diets. We probably weighed all of 115 pounds, lol. We would drink endless water. My mother used to tell us to stop and that a person can "drown themselves." We used to think she was crazy. Maybe that's what she meant.

I guess if you don't urinate and let it out, that makes sense. I can't believe nobody consulted a physician before starting this stupid contest.

ABlairican Pie · 01-14-2007, 12:54 PM

That is the most messed up contest in the world. I've heard of water intoxication. That's why people should only drink so much before they get as sick as that. Their bodies can't handle it. I imagine lawsuits and charges are pending.

What's next: "See How Many Raw Eggs You Can Eat" contest?

swedeace · 01-14-2007, 12:59 PM

Too much of anything is never a good thing.

What a sad story....

I remember there was a similar water-drinking contest a couple of years ago that my sister I were just watching (we didn't participate), and it's just amazing the things people do just to win a contest. Wow. Luckily, nothing fatal happened in that situation.

Janice · 01-14-2007, 01:04 PM

I think any of those contests that involve overindulging are bad news. Everytime I hear of those hot dog eating contests, I'm amazed that someone hasn't choked to death...then again, someone probably has choked.

This water drinking contest was particulary dangerous because not only were contestants required to drink an unhealthy amount of water...they also couldn't go to the bathroom. I'm wondering if water intoxication has something to do with the bladder. I always figured it had to do with the lungs.

julian bozo · 01-14-2007, 01:07 PM

They sholdn't have contest like that. I heard of a man choking to death at a hot dog contest where you could eat the most hotdogs.

PrettyinPink55 · 01-14-2007, 02:19 PM

WOW!!! That's horrible!!!!!

I agree...there shouldn't be contests like that!

Lex Luthor · 01-14-2007, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janice

I think any of those contests that involve overindulging are bad news. Everytime I hear of those hot dog eating contests, I'm amazed that someone hasn't choked to death...then again, someone probably has choked.

This water drinking contest was particulary dangerous because not only were contestants required to drink an unhealthy amount of water...they also couldn't go to the bathroom. I'm wondering if water intoxication has something to do with the bladder. I always figured it had to do with the lungs.

Here is an article on water intoxication or hyperhyrdation

http://www.answers.com/topic/water-intoxication

In laymans terms

The body can not keep up with producing electrolytes and blood cells wiht such a rapid increase of water intake. In order to compensate your blood cells expand. It is more common in athletes who do not rehyradte properly during excercise, this is why Gatorade and Powerade is used becasue they also give the body sodium and electrolytes to help the body recover quicker.

This is a very sad story and not very well thought out by the radio station. A terrible tragedy that should have been avoided.

moeee · 01-14-2007, 02:55 PM

Thats terrible news to hear that. what a dumb radio contest. Just dumb.

TJL · 01-14-2007, 02:56 PM

Okay, enough with the dumb radio contests.

Superstar · 01-14-2007, 03:02 PM

thats really sad

theshark8777 · 01-14-2007, 03:32 PM

She was just trying to do something to make her kids happy. How horrible.
Seriously though, how many people here would ever think an overdose of water would kill you. I had heard things like that, but never heard it happen.

Brieannas21 · 01-14-2007, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theshark8777

She was just trying to do something to make her kids happy. How horrible.
Seriously though, how many people here would ever think an overdose of water would kill you. I had heard things like that, but never heard it happen.

I was watching 20/20 about 5 or 6 years ago and they were talking about teens who took X and how they would drink water endlessly and how they would eventually kill themselves from water intoxication. They did a story about a girl who took X one night and she died of water intoxication because her friends told her to drink 2 gallons of water within a few hrs. So I've known about for years. Water is great for you but you can't drink gallons of it at once.

01-14-2007, 12:31 PM	#1
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	Woman Dies After Water-Drinking Contest http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/woman-dies-after-water-drinking-contest/20070114070709990001?ncid=NWS00010000000001 Woman Dies After Water-Drinking Contest SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Jan. 14) - A woman who competed in a radio station's contest to see how much water she could drink without going to the bathroom died of water intoxication, the coroner's office said Saturday. The radio station promised the "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" contest winner a Nintendo Wii video game console. Jennifer Strange, 28, was found dead Friday in her suburban Rancho Cordova home hours after taking part in the "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" contest in which KDND 107.9 promised a Nintendo Wii video game system for the winner. "She said to one of our supervisors that she was on her way home and her head was hurting her real bad," said Laura Rios, one of Strange's co-workers at Radiological Associates of Sacramento. "She was crying and that was the last that anyone had heard from her." It was not immediately know how much water Strange consumed. A preliminary investigation found evidence "consistent with a water intoxication death," said assistant Coroner Ed Smith. John Geary, vice president and marketing manager for Entercom Sacramento, the station's owner, said station personnel were stunned when they heard of Strange's death. "We are awaiting information that will help explain how this tragic event occurred," he said. Initially, contestants were handed eight-ounce bottles of water to drink every 15 minutes. "They were small little half-pint bottles, so we thought it was going to be easy," said fellow contestant James Ybarra of Woodland. "They told us if you don't feel like you can do this, don't put your health at risk." Ybarra said he quit after drinking five bottles. "My bladder couldn't handle it anymore," he added. After he quit, he said, the remaining contestants, including Strange, were given even bigger bottles to drink. "I was talking to her and she was a nice lady," Ybarra said. "She was telling me about her family and her three kids and how she was doing it for kids."

01-14-2007, 12:36 PM	#2
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	What a sad story and a STUPID contest. I never heard of water intoxication before.
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01-14-2007, 12:54 PM	#5
ABlairican Pie Member Forum Superstar Join Date: Dec 12, 2001 Location: Living where cats reign more Supreme than a pizza. Posts: 31,619	That is the most messed up contest in the world. I've heard of water intoxication. That's why people should only drink so much before they get as sick as that. Their bodies can't handle it. I imagine lawsuits and charges are pending. What's next: "See How Many Raw Eggs You Can Eat" contest?
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01-14-2007, 02:19 PM	#9
PrettyinPink55 Member Forum Celebrity Join Date: Feb 11, 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 24,601	WOW!!! That's horrible!!!!! I agree...there shouldn't be contests like that!
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01-14-2007, 02:56 PM	#12
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	Okay, enough with the dumb radio contests.
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01-14-2007, 12:59 PM	#6
swedeace Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 22, 2003 Posts: 9,009	Too much of anything is never a good thing. What a sad story.... I remember there was a similar water-drinking contest a couple of years ago that my sister I were just watching (we didn't participate), and it's just amazing the things people do just to win a contest. Wow. Luckily, nothing fatal happened in that situation.

01-14-2007, 01:04 PM	#7
Janice Retired Admin - Hollywood Swingin' Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 03, 2001 Location: Beantown Posts: 36,388	I think any of those contests that involve overindulging are bad news. Everytime I hear of those hot dog eating contests, I'm amazed that someone hasn't choked to death...then again, someone probably has choked. This water drinking contest was particulary dangerous because not only were contestants required to drink an unhealthy amount of water...they also couldn't go to the bathroom. I'm wondering if water intoxication has something to do with the bladder. I always figured it had to do with the lungs.

01-14-2007, 01:07 PM	#8
julian bozo Member Senior Member Join Date: Jun 30, 2001 Location: Cullman,Al,United States Posts: 1,534	They sholdn't have contest like that. I heard of a man choking to death at a hot dog contest where you could eat the most hotdogs.

01-14-2007, 02:55 PM	#11
moeee Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 31, 2003 Posts: 40,094	Thats terrible news to hear that. what a dumb radio contest. Just dumb.

01-14-2007, 03:02 PM	#13
Superstar Member Forum Icon Join Date: Dec 08, 2003 Posts: 63,316	thats really sad

01-14-2007, 03:32 PM	#14
theshark8777 Hats for Bats Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 23, 2001 Location: northeast Ohio. Posts: 5,315	She was just trying to do something to make her kids happy. How horrible. Seriously though, how many people here would ever think an overdose of water would kill you. I had heard things like that, but never heard it happen.
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