(Lead photo: WKRN) This is one of the strangest and saddest things I’ve ever felt compelled to write some words about. The photos show him with his lifted Chevrolet truck, or him driving down a road with the tachometer in the picture winding up…but that is now a memory. According to news reports, 16-year-old Logan Stephenson, his unidentified best friend, and at least two other friends drank a concoction of Mountain Dew and racing fuel. As of writing, Stephenson and the unidentified best friend have died, and the two other friends who admitted to drinking the fuel/soda combination seem to be doing well, but it will be some time before they can consider themselves “out of the woods”, if ever. Officials are begging for any other friends who drank the mixture to come forward and the town of Greenbriar, Tennessee is trying to understand just why this happened. At this point, it’s useless to claim that it was just a dumb decision by some teenagers looking for a new high, or a way to get drunk that would fly under the radar.
I know that teenagers are prone to doing some incredibly dumb things. I’ve got my history, I know the things I did that I’m either:
- Not proud of,
- Never going to admit to doing, or
- I’m amazed that I lived through it.
Yes, ethanol…the drinkable type of alcohol…is a main component in a lot of racing fuels, but there are other ingredients in the mixture as well, including methanol (wood alcohol) and petroleum products. What would cause anyone to drink anything out of a fuel pump? Unfortunately, we may never know the “why” and as a result of their decisions, two families are now preparing to bury their sons and at least two other teens are probably scared shitless and wondering if they are next to go. It is useless to criticize their choices now…it is far too late.
Click here to check out the full story about this sad and bizarre case
It’s amazing with all the info needed at your fingertips to learn about ethanol, someone would still consume it. Just sad.
Ethanol is perfectly safe to consume in moderate to large amounts. Billions of people do it every day. Ethanol that comes from a gas pump isn’t, but that’s because it’s mixed with gasoline. These kids didn’t drink ethanol though.
Sad news but…kids think they are immortal; that natural law does not apply to them. Stupid is forever for both of them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmnUayaQyBk
Wonder if this had anything to do with it? Sad.
little lost here….
not meaning to be mean here at all…
i guess its possibly a new fad to mix gasoline and mountain dew?
well sorry, but if your ass is dumb enough to do that, you deserve the consequences, not sure how this is “sad”
what they hell kind of parental upbringing did these kids have? education?
wait… never mind… i grew up in an era where we had parents whom were REAL parents, and schools that taught you
but….
to those that defend these youds, i guess in my era we didn’t have this information overload, but then again i still don’t think i’d drink gasoline mixed with anything, and maybe common sense really isn’t so common
also… when they refer to race gas, do they mean like 110 octane, leaded gas?
i thought those were ethanol free, and the typical pump stuff had eth, or did they mean E-85?
either way it’s things like this that ruin our sport to a degree or make it look bad
if these dumbass kids put their scientific studies to real use, maybe they would be able to make something of themselves
is life that damn boring you need to get high?
you that lazy for energy you need all these speed boosters?
maybe i’m just to old to get it… dunno
still
what in the HELL are people thinking about drinking a poison????
Was this a case of someone confusing NOS octane booster and NOS energy drink? It’s sad but also totally weird that anyone would try this. According to the article, it seems to have been an almost pure methanol fuel.
The comments section on the news site is a gold mine. Family gets offended that people aren’t sympathetic enough.
Honestly if you knowingly do dumb sh!t then you deserve the consequences. I have no sympathy for anyone that chooses to consume whatever substance to get high or drunk. People have lifelong consequences to deal with from the things they did when they were younger, that’s just the way it is and a pity party won’t save them.
OK, this needs to be said;
U KAN’T FIX STOOPID
Good Riddance.
If they had only been severely brain damaged, they could have at least become NASCAR fans.
Darwin is ALWAYS paying attention, and forget about the parents ‘outrage’.
They should go take a hard look in the mirror.
With stoneground idiots killing themselves using “legal highs” made out of Chinese carburetor cleaner (look it up) it was only a matter of time before the more alcoholically minded started drinking their Dad’s racing fuel. This is nothing new as in 1975 whilst working at my local parks department I was offered a drink from a bottle containing methylated spririts and milk from two friendly plonkies which is what we call street drinkers.
Just as well they weren’t hitting the nitro….
It is unfortunate, but it’s only natural selection.
And the authorities aren’t pressing charges against the parents? Seems like alloying your kids to get at something deadly has been child endangerment for sometime.
Allowing your 16 year old access to gas is child endangerment? WTF kind of world do you live in?
They probably thought they were drinking moon shine
Wow Americans! Dish out some more hate while you drink your Bud.
You know why american beer is like making love in a boat?
Cause its fucking close to water!
Bud defiantly doesn’t have the kick of C16. That’s what tough guys drink, right?