A 22-year-old man is fighting for his life in an Athens hospital after choking on an entire burger during a night out with friends, in an incident that doctors describe as extremely critical. The young man was rushed to Gennimatas Hospital, where medical staff continue a “titanic effort” to keep him alive.

Doctors say the man swallowed the burger without chewing, obstructing his airway and leaving him without oxygen for more than three minutes before paramedics arrived. He is now intubated in the Intensive Care Unit, with doctors warning that several of his vital organs have suffered damage that may be irreversible.

A friend who was present recounted the dramatic moments, explaining that at first they did not realize he was choking. “He suddenly panicked and got up. We thought he was going to spit it out because he didn’t want to make a mess,” he said. When the young man began hitting his back against a support column in distress, his friends attempted to help. Two of them — a lifeguard and a member of a sailing crew — tried to provide first aid while waiting for emergency services.

Friends strongly deny early claims that the incident was part of a social-media “challenge.” According to them, it was something he had attempted casually before. “There was no challenge. It was something he’d done many times. He said, ‘Look,’ and tried to eat it in one bite. If you want to call it something, call it a joke,” one of them said.

A family friend added that paramedics instructed those at the scene not to perform CPR because he still had a pulse. “He’s in a coma,” she said, describing the family’s shock.

The case has alarmed medical staff and reignited concerns about dangerous food-related stunts circulating on social media, with videos showing young people — including minors — attempting to swallow large amounts of food without chewing.

The 22-year-old, originally from northern Greece and studying in Athens, remains in critical condition as doctors continue to monitor him hour by hour.