Woman dies from Radio Contest

United States
February 3, 2007 11:59pm CST
A couple weeks ago when the Wii systems first came out, a radio station in Kentucky or Missouri had a contest called Hold your Wii. In it the contestants had to drink as muchas they could but NOT go to the bathroom. The contestants signed waivers and such. A nurse actually called in to the station and told them people can die from kidney failure from doing thi. The radio people were like" yeah but they all signed waivers" Well a mother with 2 or 3 kids was doing it and she died from it. 10 people I think were FIRED from the radio station. What are your thoughts on this? Do you think TV and radio stations should have contests that could have deadly results? Do you think the woman's family should/could sue for her death, even though a waiver was signed?
9 people like this
22 responses
• United States
4 Feb 07
i heard about that, and i think that it is really sad. that mother was trying to win it for her kids. and the nurse was right, drinking to much water can kill you. i would deft. sue the company. and no they should do research on things like that before they put out a contest like that.
4 people like this
• United States
4 Feb 07
I just dont understand WHY the radio station did not do more research before hand. Them being senseless cost a poor mother her life
2 people like this
@dopey22girl (3319)
• United States
4 Feb 07
Oh my gosh that is sooo horrible! I think that they definitely deserved to be fired, and radio stations definitely should NOT be allowed to hold contests like that. A lot of times when people sign waivers they don't even read them because they are so long. Ahh that makes me so angry that they would even think to hold a contest like that! I think the family should sue for as much as they can! And I hope that they win!
3 people like this
• United States
4 Feb 07
exactly..no one really reads those waivers...
2 people like this
• United States
5 Feb 07
You should definetly learn to read and understand anything you sign, even get a lawyer to review it. Sometimes it just takes something bad happining to realize that.
• United States
4 Feb 07
I heard about that happening. I'm not sure if I think the family can sue for their loss because she signed a wiaver. Not having medics on hand was a very dumb idea though. When ever someone has a contest where the body is pushed to it's limits there should be some kind of medic on hand.
2 people like this
• United States
4 Feb 07
i think they could get sued BECAUSE they did not have a edic on hand, even if a waiver was signed
2 people like this
@bmjut247 (171)
• Philippines
4 Feb 07
i think they should eliminate such contests, especially those that tamper one's health and may cause various risks. the people involved in setting/staging the contest ought to be held responsible all the way. why? they were given an advice by a nurse (who has far more medical/nursing know-how than an average joe) and they completely ignored it. the families should sue the people responsible for this.
2 people like this
• India
5 Feb 07
ys am agrreeing with u
• United States
4 Feb 07
they should be eliminated! It is sad that she was trying o win it for her kids
2 people like this
@cruzades (659)
• Philippines
4 Feb 07
The judgment is correct, as per your story, no Medics were around while the contest is being held, though contestants did signed the 'waiver', but that's not enough, it doesn't mean that the operator is no or less liable in such that case.
• United States
4 Feb 07
see the entire part about there being no medics is what irks me. a NURSE told them they could die an they basically blew her off
2 people like this
• United States
4 Feb 07
By the way, the nurse called in. She was not there on the premises, just another caller to the radio show. I think that the radio station holds every responsibility. I doubt that the people engaging in the contest believed they could be harmed. Water seems so harmless, but in this case, it was deadly.
@merkava (1225)
• Philippines
4 Feb 07
They thought the contest was harmless because they were uneducated about the harms having too much fluids in your body will do. They didn't even bother consulting a medical doctor to inquire what effects might it have on the contestants that would join. I know too much water will lower your sugar and sodium levels to the point you'll pass out. That was a reckless publicity stunt they did. I also heard this news a week or 2 weeks before I think!?
3 people like this
• United States
4 Feb 07
it ismost likley the same one i am talking about. The radio station should have educated themselves
2 people like this
• Canada
4 Feb 07
I heard about this on the news and I think that it is the stupidest thing that could happen. The 3 DJ's that were with her wer all fired. One of the DJ's even said on the air "isn't this dangerous can't she die from this?" and yet they didn't stop this stupid contest and it resulted in a woman losing her life.
@Marie2473 (8512)
• Sweden
4 Feb 07
I do belive that the radiostation still should be held responsible to some point. they KNEW that it was dangerous... Th sad thing is that this happening probably gives them the upper hand since there is a saying that goes. all commercial is good commercial =(
2 people like this
@doncris (637)
• Romania
4 Feb 07
Of course they can do that and they should!!!! I mean, damn those IDIOTS from that radio station! Shouldn't there be regulations against these happenings? I mean, that poor woman and those poor kids, now motherless, because of some stupid radio contest!!! I'm sorry, but it's absolutely mad! I wouldn't just have got those jerks fired!!!
2 people like this
@imcbun (7)
• India
4 Feb 07
This is quite in humane. Adequete fascilities must be there for all persons to attend call of nature.
@jenalyn (675)
• United States
4 Feb 07
Well, the radio station is responsible for their contest and their employees. It is a tragic accident that happened since they were too ingnorant to research before they had people drink a lot of water. They assumed it was harmless because it was water. Everyone that had anything to do with running that contest is responsible and accountable. As a contestant, she trusted that they were running a safe contest, but was not any more aware that there was a danger in participating than they were.
• United States
4 Feb 07
exactly..she trusted them. she probbaly figured its jsut water. she trusted them to mention if bad things could happen
2 people like this
@slickcut (8141)
• United States
4 Feb 07
Well that was a stupid contest to say the least..Yes i feel as though the family has a right to sue that station and probably they have a good case...I just cannot believe anyone would fall for that ..Were they going to win money? or what reason for the contest?The station cared less about the contestants and they should be held accountable regardless of the waiver,Im sure the ones that entered the contest were not aware of what could happen and also the station is liabile for the fact they did not point out he danger to the contestants .......
• United States
4 Feb 07
if they won they would have won the new Wii game system
3 people like this
@crickethear (1417)
• United States
4 Feb 07
Radio, or TV, shouldn't even be allowed to do that. I would think it would violate the FCC. The family should sue, regardless of any waiver. However, I can't understand anyone doing something like that either. Just to make some money, and or win a prize? She needed to think of her kids, and now her stupid choice left those poor kids motherless. However, the family shouldn't have to suffer for her idiotic choice to be a part of the contest. But the family needs to make a point, that those contests should not be allowed.
2 people like this
• Canada
4 Feb 07
Did they tell her that doing what she did could harm her and thats why she had to signe a waiver. Did the radio station have madical help on hand at the time. If they did not do just that then yes they should and i hope they will be sued. Radio stations have to be awaer thatthey are part of a comunity, and people do listen to them and act on what they say. You should be able to trust them right.
2 people like this
• United States
4 Feb 07
I guess it was mentioned in the waiver they signed but no one really reads those. A nurse called in and TOLD the radio station it was deadly. they should have stopped the ontest right then
2 people like this
• United States
4 Feb 07
That happened here in Sacramento, CA, get your facts straight. And those people have been fired already. Those radio announcers had done things like that before. This was the final straw.
1 person likes this
@AnythngArt (3302)
• United States
4 Feb 07
Of course I hold the radio station entirely responsible for this catastrophe. However, I do think it should be a warning to anyone thinking of entering a contest...what are you risking to do this? It makes me think of all those young men doing imitations of the JackA** movies, with ridiculous stunts that can get themselves maimed or killed. Where is the entertainment factor in that? And yet these movies are extremely popular. Why?
1 person likes this
@dejiflow (128)
• Nigeria
4 Feb 07
If it had been done to dogs, animal rights groups would have been up in arms. It is likely that there is a lot of dilly dallying by law officers over what step to take. Sometimes it seems more value is placed on the lives of animals than on human life. I believe the waiver should be disregarded and serious punitive action taken against the organizers.
1 person likes this
• United States
5 Feb 07
What moron would want to think up a contest where it was known that people could die???? Waiver or no waiver... that's just stupid to hold the contest and to compete in the contest. Here's a good contest idea... how many times can you shoot yourself in the head before you die? Well, if you sign a waiver, it's okay.....
• India
4 Feb 07
the tv and radio stations shuld not organize such kind of shows.
1 person likes this
• United States
5 Feb 07
I believe there is no fool proof waiver. Even though they signed the waivers they could most likely get around them with a good lawyer. I think this was a very foolish idea for the radio station because it was just a recipie for disaster. If they really wanted to give away Wiis then they would have probably found something less juvenile.