“IF you want proof that hard work pays off,” school student Logan Stiner tweeted as he stood on top of the dias at a sporting event.
But just weeks later, Stiner, 18, described as “a top student, a top athlete, and a great kid”, died from taking too much caffeine, ABC 10 News reported.
The pupil from Keystone High School in LaGrange, Ohio, was found unresponsive by his brother at his family’s home in Elyria after heading home for lunch from school in May. The promising wrestler was pronounced dead at the scene just a week before his graduation.
Steiner did not take drugs and only drank the occasional cup of coffee.
His mother Katie Stiner found bags of caffeine powder in the house, Chronicle Online reported.
She said she did not know he took caffeine powder but he had once mentioned taking some kind of substance as a “pre-workout,” she said.
Lorain County Coroner Steven Evans said when Stiner died, he had a toxic level of caffeine in his blood after ingesting caffeine powder. The overdose caused cardiac arrhythmia and a seizure.
Evans said he had heard of only 18 other deaths from caffeine overdoses in the US but warned that caffeine powder was becoming increasingly popular among teenagers and can be bought online.
“I think it’s dangerous. I didn’t realise it was sold in bulk over the internet,” Evans said.
Stiner was found with more than 70 micrograms of caffeine per millilitre of blood in his system. Evans said the normal amount of caffeine in an energy drink is three to 15 micrograms and 50 micrograms is considered a lethal dose.
“He was a young, healthy guy. People don’t realise (caffeine) could potentially kill you,” Evans said.
“Since it’s a powder, he probably doesn’t know how much he was taking.”
It can be purchased online and is mixed into water or soda, said Evans. About 1/16 of a teaspoon of the powder is equal to one can of Mountain Dew or any high-powered caffeine drink.
“He had no clue what he was doing,” Logan’s mother said.
Logan was well-liked at school by his teachers and peers. Videos have been made as a tribute and a benefit was held on Sunday (AEDT) to help pay the costs of his funeral.