Eight-year-old Joshua Dunbar sadly died after breathing in helium from a birthday balloon. On April 27, 2024, his family found him unconscious in his room with a helium balloon over his head.
Even though they tried to save him, he didn’t survive. Doctors said he died because the helium replaced the oxygen he needed to breathe.
Now, his mom Carly is warning other parents to stay away from helium balloons and is sharing her pain online to help prevent this from happening to other kids.
She says that balloons filled with air are just as fun and much safer. Carly hopes her warning will stop other families from going through the same heartbreak. Her message is simple: “Please believe me—don’t buy helium balloons for your kids.”