He Was the Life of the Party Until He Choked to Death on Bugs
A 32-year-old man who died after downing dozens of roaches and worms last month to win a python at a Florida reptile store choked to death, medical officials said Monday.
Edward Archbold died “as a result of asphyxia due to choking and aspiration of gastric contents,” said the Broward County Medical Examiner’s Office. It said his airway was obstructed by bug body parts, and ruled his death was an accident.
Archbold was among 20 to 30 contestants participating in the “Midnight Madness” event at Ben Siegel Reptiles in Deerfield Beach.
The participant who consumed the most insects and worms would take home an $850 python.
Archbold swallowed roach after roach, worm after worm. While the store didn’t say exactly how many Archbold consumed, the owner told CNN affiliate WPLG that he was “the life of the party.”