Woman dies of 'water intoxication' after radio contest
by Alexander Sliwinski 
{ Jan 13th 2007 at 6:00PM }
A preliminary autopsy states that a woman died of "water intoxication" following a water drinking contest for a Nintendo Wii. News10 in Sacramento reports Station 107.9 The End's "Hold your wee for a Wii" contest had contestants doing exactly what the title says. The winner was the person who didn't release their bladder the longest. According to the woman's co-worker, after the contest, "She said to one of our supervisors that she was on her way home and her head was hurting her real bad ... she was crying and that was the last that anyone had heard from her." The co-workers contacted the woman's mother later on to check up how she was doing and she discovered the body. No word yet on how much water the woman consumed.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Neebs @ Jan 13th 2007 6:03PM
The radio station's title is pure genious.
Neebs @ Jan 13th 2007 6:03PM
No, not the contest, the radio station itself.
Daxter1985 @ Jan 13th 2007 6:04PM
wow I had no idea you could die from drinking too much water
Diacronic @ Jan 13th 2007 6:08PM
Yes you can die from drinking too much water , its called hyponatremia.
Slaziman @ Jan 13th 2007 6:17PM
People prepared to die for a Wii? Nintendo is kicking some serious ass.
All the jokes aside, condolences to the family. The radio station could've known that drinking too much water in a small period of time could kill you, I hope they get sued.
Charlie @ Jan 13th 2007 6:19PM
@Slaziman
Dying for the Wii? Killing for the PS3? Some random incident involving a 360?
It seems like the consoles are out there to make sure mankind is extinct.
GalacticAE @ Jan 13th 2007 6:20PM
Being in that situation would piss me off. I'd be embarrassed if a story like this about me leaked out. I wonder if the radio show got a flood of people wanting to win this. I'm sure the family is dripping with anger
Wulkar @ Jan 13th 2007 8:33PM
the station should not be held responsible for her going to far.
Carlos @ Jan 13th 2007 6:22PM
she wasn't crying, it was just water coming out from her sockets haha (sorry, i'm disgusting, i know)
Concerned Parent @ Jan 13th 2007 6:24PM
What a complete idiot. Hope more nintendo fans off themselves for 6 year old tech.
Crushed @ Jan 14th 2007 7:15PM
"Hope more nintendo fans off themselves for 6 year old tech."
Wow. You have some goddamned issues.
Ryoga Vee @ Jan 13th 2007 6:34PM
Did she drop and good loot? Essence of Water maybe?
Ian @ Jan 13th 2007 6:35PM
@4
So off, it's hyperhydration.
Rusty Shackleford @ Jan 13th 2007 6:36PM
She was crying and her head hurt and she still didn't go to the bathroom?
Josh @ Jan 13th 2007 6:38PM
There was definitely something wrong with that contest and radio station.
The woman probably should have went to see a doctor, but I know whenever I have a headache, I wouldn't worry about it too much to go see someone about it.
It's a tragic death, and I hope the family can come through this in the best way possible. I feel very bad for them...
devon @ Jan 13th 2007 6:37PM
I think the funny thing is if you look at the very first comic of the web comic "F@NB0Y$", they joke about the seemingly far fetched idea that upcoming console wars would lead to casualties.
130 comics later the joke has become a reality.
comic I refer to link:
http://fanboys-online.com/index.php?cid=1
SickNic @ Jan 13th 2007 6:38PM
We learned that quick in the army. You'd be amazed at how many deaths occured due to over-hydration:
Severe hyponatremia may cause osmotic shift of water from the plasma into the brain cells. Typical symptoms include nausea, vomiting, headache and malaise. As the hyponatremia worsens, confusion, diminished reflexes, convulsions, stupor or coma may occur. Since nausea is, itself, a stimulus for the release of ADH (the water retaining hormone), the potential for a vicious circle of hyponatremia and its symptoms exists.
umm....hello??? @ Jan 13th 2007 6:40PM
"no link between the two..."....maybe just a link between humans and their lack of common sense...
@9 ...this from someone with -1 star? i'm betting you're french/canadian. retard.
@5 ...my own thoughts on the issue more or less
Draco @ Jan 13th 2007 6:44PM
thats a terrible thing to happen to someone, I know I once drank like 6 or 7 litres of water just to see if I could polish off a camping jug we had in one sitting, I drank it all, but felt like complete shit afterwards, sweat out of every pore felt like I was in a bath, every step I took made me feel like vomiting, started to tear, then took a good 2 minute piss.
didn't die though, didnt get a headache either, just stomach ache. Never drank that much water again.
nintendo fan @ Jan 13th 2007 6:46PM
@ umm....hello
your even worse than Shimbre since you're both racist and a hypocrite
alexanderwales @ Jan 13th 2007 6:58PM
An article on Wikipedia on the subject of death by water:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_intoxication
I find it very sad that the first instinct for most gamers is to either make jokes or wish death upon other people. It makes me think that there's some truth to the theory that videogames make people less concerned with the lives of others. Death is serious - to make jokes about the death of someone that you never knew is extremely disrespectful. Show some fucking dignity, even if the death was stupid, senseless, and self-inflicted.
otakucode @ Jan 13th 2007 7:08PM
Ban Dihydrogen Monoxide! It's a deadly substance killing our children!
Anyone who didn't realize you could die from too much water... I weep for you. If you can't realize that absolutely anything can kill you and the only thing that differs is amount, what does that say about how much you think about something when someone tells you 'this is good for you' or 'this is bad for you'?
Revo @ Jan 13th 2007 7:07PM
"13. @4
So off, it's hyperhydration."
Actually you're both right. According to Wikipedia:
"Hyperhydration is a potentially fatal disturbance in brain function that results when the normal balance of electrolytes in the body is pushed outside of safe limits by a very rapid intake of water."
"Hyponatremia is an electrolyte disturbance that exists in humans when the sodium level in the plasma falls below 135 mmol/l. At lower levels water intoxication may result, an urgently dangerous condition."
Regardless, this is not something to be calling that woman an idiot for, or nor should this story fuel arguments for or against the Wii. The way some of you guys are treating this only supports the claims of people like Jack Thompson that gamers are heartless and desensitized.
Revo @ Jan 13th 2007 7:10PM
Whoa. The similarities between my post and alexanderwales' are uncanny.
Slaziman @ Jan 13th 2007 7:43PM
If I had thought there was a chance that the family would be reading my comment I wouldn't have slept that Wii joke in there, but since they aren't, and I clearly offered my condolences to the family afterwards, isn't it a LITTLE too much to call me heartless and disrespectful, don't you think? Lighten up, damn it.
(That is, if you (Revo and alexanderwales) were referring to me)
Pedro @ Jan 13th 2007 9:56PM
Actually, it's called potomania. But it's true, it's the hyponatremia (low sodium) that gets ya.
SonicClang @ Jan 13th 2007 7:25PM
Man that's just sad.
David004 @ Jan 13th 2007 7:27PM
"It seems like the consoles are out there to make sure mankind is extinct."
It's called dieing for the better of mankind. From the sounds of it she doesn't have any kids or husband so she died so her dumbass genes wouldn't spread out throughout the country. It's a good day for mankind.
Stone Temple Pilot @ Jan 13th 2007 7:33PM
What happens is the solution bathing the cells in your brain (extracellular fluid) becomes hypotonic with respect to Sodium (hyponatremia). Water follows the osmotic gradient into the cells in order to make the concentration of ions in the extracellular fluid and the intracellular fluid equal. Water leaves the extracellular fluid and fills your brain cells to the point that they swell and become destroyed. That's what causes death in the case of hyponatremia.
nsolo1717 @ Jan 13th 2007 7:34PM
once something hits the internet , you CANNOT EXPECT any sort of dignity, empathy, or compassion. It just is what it is and you just gotta deal with it as a internet surfer. (did i just say "internet surfer") wow.......anyway, you get my point. Although you should have learned that years ago unless you just started using the internet.
MosquitoControl @ Jan 13th 2007 7:40PM
" way some of you guys are treating this only supports the claims of people like Jack Thompson that gamers are heartless and desensitized."
Yes. That's it. You're right.
Only gamers find things like The Darwin Awards funny. In fact, the Darwin Awards Books, which are exclusively stories of stupid people dying in stupid ways, have hit the NY Times Best Seller's List by being purchased exclusively by gamers.
Furthermore, when Steve Irwin died, only gamers were making jokes. Same with Cory Lidle.
It isn't that death is often absurd and ironic, and therefore very funny, it's that gamers laugh at this and the rest of the populace cringes.
Chris @ Jan 13th 2007 7:49PM
I think there should be a criminal investigation involved since the radio station did not do research on whether this would be safe or have medical staff on hand. The family is in for millions.
Pat @ Jan 13th 2007 8:14PM
Yeah, too much water and low sodium can kill you. Thats why people in desert environments for long periods take those salt pills.
Apparently though, drinking too much too fast can kill you too. Didn't know that- yipes!
alexanderwales @ Jan 13th 2007 7:48PM
@ Pedro
Potomania (Dipsomania) is the intense desire for alcohol in excess. This is considered a dated term for "alcoholic".
http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=20051
Psychogenic polydipsia is the psychological condition of wanting (and consuming) excess water. Polydipsia is the term for what this woman did: abnormal intake of fluid through the mouth (as opposed to through an IV).
Water intoxication (AKA: hyperhydration, water poisoning) happens most often in:
a) the military
b) endurance sports (especially marathons)
c) recreational drug use
d) mental patients
In the first three cases, water loss is being overcompensated for with excess water consumption. In the last case, it is either a mental condition, or hyponatremia (AKA: hyponatraemia) is caused by a specific medication.
Hyponatremia itself is caused by the imbalance of electrolytes (notably sodium compounds) in the body. You are thus at a greater risk for hyponatermia is you are on a low sodium diet. Symptoms are very similar to dehydration, which means that a mis-diagnosis can be harmful or fatal. The notable difference in symptoms is that hyponatremia will often cause watery diarrhea or vomiting.
More links:
http://www.wemjournal.org/wmsonline/?request=get-document&issn=1080-6032&volume=016&issue=04&page=0221
http://www.alpharubicon.com/med/watertox.html
kay @ Jan 13th 2007 7:55PM
A few comments:
Once something hits the internet, expect to find the whole range of human reaction - empathy, apathy, sympathy, ignorance, lack of compassion, lots of compassion, etc. Thats how people are - wether gamers or not. Thats just how people are.
The radio station shouldn't have done this contest without warnings in place. The details are unclear - did they want people to drink lots of water AND hold their urine? If so, if they didnt specify how much water to drink, thats dangerous. If they didn't warn you not to participate if you have certain diseases (CRF, CHF, etc) thats dangerous. Even if they didnt encourage drinking water and just wanted you to hold your urine - that could case hydronephrosis and damaged kidneys. There is a limit to how long one should retain urine. 6 hours is the max you should ever allow a person to retain urine.
This has no bearing on the Wii. They could easily have used any other item as the prize and the dangers of such a contest would remain the same.
The term you use doesn't matter - hyperhydration or hyponatremia - the end result is the same: Electrolyte abnormality that lead to diffuse edema of the brain and subsequent herniation (uncal, tonsillar, subfalcine, etc) which lead to respiratory depression (you stop breathing) and eventual death due to hypoxia (lack of oxygen). So the term you use could be hyperhydration, hyponatremia, uncal herniation, hypoxia, respiratory depression, etc. Depends on what part of the process you want to highlight.
-visit my blog.
Revo @ Jan 13th 2007 7:59PM
"30. Yes. That's it. You're right.
Only gamers find things like The Darwin Awards funny. In fact, the Darwin Awards Books, which are exclusively stories of stupid people dying in stupid ways, have hit the NY Times Best Seller's List by being purchased exclusively by gamers.
Furthermore, when Steve Irwin died, only gamers were making jokes. Same with Cory Lidle.
It isn't that death is often absurd and ironic, and therefore very funny, it's that gamers laugh at this and the rest of the populace cringes."
Don't be a fool.
Where did I say that gamers are the only people who make jokes about things like this? My point is that if gamers do ridicule people's deaths in this way, they are adding fuel to the already blazing inferno of opposition to the gaming community.
Jack Thompson and those like him aren't the kind of people who care whether or not gamers are the only ones who do this sort of thing. They'll willingly ignore the fact that nongamers are just as likely to respond with jokes in this situation. So what's the solution? The gaming community needs to fight against the antisocial/violent/desensitized stereotype. To show that they're not morally inferior to nongamers. And not just "uninferior", but superior. Maybe it's idealistic, but it's still something we should strive for.
Responses like these aren't helping. Get it?
Mister @ Jan 13th 2007 8:09PM
So did she win? If so, can I have her Wii?
Billyok @ Jan 13th 2007 8:11PM
Gamers, non-gamers... it doesn't matter. A huge swath of our spoiled, fat American population consists of friendless nobodies who harness their lonliness and failure by taking joy in the downfall of others.
Joystiq's comment area just happens to be gifted with a great many of these people.
Frankly, I'd rather die from drinking too much water than waste day after day of my life being bitter old losers like some of you do.
cybereality @ Jan 13th 2007 8:21PM
This is a horrible tragedy. So sad. At the very least, everyone involved should be fired. They obviously knew there was a risk yet held the contest anyhow. Somebody has to be liable here.
I am also completely appalled by some of the comments people have made. This is not a joke, someone died here. Show some fucking respect. If you actually bothered to read the article you would've known the woman had 3 kids and was doing it for her kids. The kind of jokes people have made are totally disrepectful to the family and you should be ashamed of yourself for writing them.
After reading some of the "jokes" posted I'm starting to feel like maybe Jack Thompson has a point.
koo @ Jan 13th 2007 8:37PM
but will she blend?
haha no but seriously. i wonder who won?
Thrawn @ Jan 15th 2007 6:07PM
Zing!
mywhitenoise @ Jan 13th 2007 8:47PM
I saw this last night on the news (from Sacramento). What's really stupid, is the contest. Obviously judges aren't going to supervise and make sure who went pee when...I mean really, are they going to spend 48 hours watching each contestant until they piss?
Marcus Byron Cheney @ Jan 13th 2007 9:35PM
that is great.
But you dont have to hold your pee to read me stuff that makes you go WEEEEEEE
http://mbcpoetry.wordpress.com
kay @ Jan 13th 2007 8:58PM
Read more on this - it seems the radio station did NOT have a physician on hand for this. They are gonna get sued without a doubt. They wont get away with this. Its just bad news.
Having people drink mass amounts of water to derange their electrolytes AND not having them urinate - the body's main defense against water intoxication = recipe for disaster. A very sad incident.
That being said, gamers should not be expected to behave in a way "superior" to non gamers. Any idealistic goals regarding gamers should apply to non gamers as well. JT is an attention-seeking-overdrive-evangelist-reality-twister that has very little (if any) merit. He does not "have a point" because people on joystiq make light of this situation. Thats how some people cope with terrible events. "Gallows humor" if you will.
ttr @ Jan 13th 2007 8:56PM
I wonder how badly she wet herself after dying?
Free @ Jan 13th 2007 9:07PM
Oh my God that's horrible! She was doing it for her kids... Now I feel depressed. :'(
thehardhitter @ Jan 13th 2007 9:10PM
Question: Is it inappropriate if Joystiq allows theses people to post those types of comments? Anyway, I do think it is her own fault but that's not to say the radio station shouldn't pay for their cruelty.(To land a Nintendo Wii they require a person to hold toxic waste in there body?). I'm sure they make enough money to give away a 250 dollar system.
Dane @ Jan 13th 2007 9:47PM
"Fuck you Americans are retards."
@ #9 Shimbre your a sick fuck. Instead of being sympathetic for this woman and her family you hate on Americans. I don't know who you are or where your from but I would kick your ass in a heart beat if I heard you say that.
Suzuki @ Jan 13th 2007 9:50PM
haha, I've actually heard of this before. It must have really been bad for the contest promoters though.
DCFC Fan @ Jan 13th 2007 10:55PM
Darwin strikes again.