An 18-year-old Iowa woman wound up in intensive care last week after attempting a viral dance challenge that left her with a severe head injury. Now, she’s warning others not to make the same mistake she did.
Anna Worden said she and her friends decided to try the popular “KiKi Challenge,” in which participants jump out of a moving car and dance to Drake’s “In My Feelings” song. The viral challenge was popularized by comedian Shiggy late last month and has been recreated by the likes of Will Smith, Kirk Franklin, Ciara and several others.
Anna Worden, who’s been dancing since she was 3 years old, has had to re-learn how to walk since the accident. (WQAD / video screenshot)
Worden’s attempt at the challenge didn’t end so well, however.
“I tried, and the last thing I remember was opening the door,” Worden told local station. “So apparently I got out and I tripped and fell and hit my head … I tried to do some little challenge everyone’s doing now, and I’m the one that got majorly hurt.”
The teen was airlifted to an Iowa City hospital, where doctors diagnosed her with a fractured skull, blood clots in her ear and bleeding on the brain.
Worden, who’s been dancing since she 3 years old, is now re-learning how to walk. She’s expected to be released from the hospital this week, the station reported.
As the Internet dance craze grows in popularity, police around the world are warning of its dangers and say participants caught doing it could face fines of up to $1000 and possible criminal charges, according to The Guardian. Already, people have been seen running into objects, falling down and even getting hit by cars while filming themselves dancing for the challenge.
“Desist from public nuisance or face the music!,” Mumbai Police wrote in a tweet warning that the craze could put people’s lives at risk.
Worden knows the dangers all too well and issued a stern warning to folks hoping to try it.
“Be more careful about the challenges and fads that are going around,” she said. “It may seem fun, and it may seem easy, but at the same too, they could be so dangerous.”
