Xbox addict, 20, killed by blood clot after 12-hour gaming sessions

DailyMail.U.K. ^ | 30th July 2011 | Rebecca Twomey

[SanFranDan]

A mourning father has sent out a plea to other parents to protect their children from the dangers of playing computer games.

Blood clot victim, Chris Staniforth, 20, died after spending up to 12 hours at a time playing on his Xbox.

The gaming enthusiast suffered a blockage to his lungs when he developed deep vein thrombosis – commonly associated with passengers on long haul flights where they are relatively immobile for hours on end.

Chris’ heartbroken father, David told The Sun, ‘As a parent you think playing computer games can’t do them any harm because you know what they are doing.

‘Kids all over the country are playing these games for long periods - they don’t realise it could kill them.’

Chris, an avid player of popular games such as Halo collapsed after an interview at a JobCentre while telling a friend he’d been experiencing peculiar pains in his chest.

He explained how he was woken in the night by a ‘strange feeling’ in his chest and that his heart rate was incredibly low, although this returned to normal and he fell back to sleep.

During the conversation outside the JobCentre David explained the moment Chris started to suffer:

Before he collapsed outside a JobCentre, Chris was offered a place to study Game Design at Leicester University

‘He dropped a packet of chewing gum and as he picked it up, he jolted back and began to spasm.’

Chris’ friend frantically called an ambulance but paramedics arriving on the scene failed to save him.

Yesterday, a coroner confirmed DVT as the cause of death despite the 20-year-old having no history of ill health or underlying medical conditions

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

“Looking back it was also a complete waste of time, to think, I could’ve been outside!”

Yes, if only you’d had an iPad with 4G.

[T-Bird45]

Was this his cousin?

[jonascord]

I'm going to go out on a limb and call the one on the left a female. If nothing else, her face painting skills are more accomplished.

Mummy must be VERY proud. As for the leash, I'm betting that's the only way she can get Some. How many bar'ls of oil do you figure they would render out? The one on the right wouldn't run far before he spouted black blood and rolled fin out...

And people are worried about winning the next Civil War?

[jmacusa]

Yeah, and it keeps making you run to the bathroom so that’s a good way to get up and walk around a bit, keep the old blood flowing. And they say beers no good for you. Hmmpf! Looks to me playing video games is bad for one’s health.