Accidental death by asphyxiation leaves parents stunned, grieving

Troubled teen had been trying to turn his life around

By Erin Shea

The Gresham Outlook, Oct 3, 2006, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Bob and Bernadine Denson console each other after their son accidentally killed himself while playing a dangerous asphyxiation game. The Densons wanted to tell their story in hopes of saving other young people’s lives.

Carole Archer / The Gresham Outlook

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Adam Denson loved to laugh and could always bring a smile to those around him. Although the 19-year-old Corbett resident had a hard time in school and endured his share of drug- and alcohol-related struggles, the generally happy-go-lucky teen had recently kicked his addictions and was trying to turn his life around.

All that changed Friday, Sept. 29, when he accidentally killed himself because of a dangerous activity known as “the choking game,” or Space Monkey, in which young people cut off oxygen to their brains until they pass out.

As normal blood flow returns to the brain, participants reportedly experience a type of high or feelings of euphoria.

But not everyone wakes up.

“It’s hard on us as parents,” said Bob Denson, Adam’s father, tears welling in his eyes.

Adam’s mother, Bernadine Denson, found his body Friday night after the family dog roused her from her seat and led her to the door of Adam’s room, pushing it open.

Adam was sitting on the floor and had a cotton belt twisted around his neck.

His parents initially thought he had committed suicide but couldn’t believe that their son, who got so much joy out of attending the youth group activities at Columbia Life Center in Troutdale, would do such a thing.

Then the calls came in. One person after another mentioned the Space Monkeys game.

“We didn’t know anything about it,” Bernadine said.

Now Adam’s parents just want to get the message out to others about the dangers of the common party game.

Although she has never tried it, Channey Holmes, Adam’s 19-year-old niece, said the Space Monkeys game is more common than one might think.

When she asked her friends about it, she was told that it happens all the time, particularly at parties, and that there is a lot of peer pressure to participate.

At least one of Adam’s friends admitted to having tried this form of asphyxiation as well.

“Just don’t do it,” Bob Denson said, urging teens to tell someone if they know people who are participating in it. “If these kids want a high, they should go get involved in a youth group.”

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