Provo, Utah — A Utah family is sharing a heartbreaking warning after a 16-year-old high school student nearly lost his life attempting a dangerous social media trend known as “couch surfing.”
The teen suffered catastrophic injuries during the stunt and spent days in an induced coma, leaving his family fearing the worst.
Teen Suffers Severe Injuries During Viral Stunt
According to his family, Levi Teemant, a student at Timpview High School, was seriously injured on May 8 while participating in the risky activity.
The trend involves attaching a couch to a moving vehicle and towing it while someone sits or stands on it as the driver accelerates, turns sharply or performs sudden maneuvers.
During Levi’s attempt, tragedy struck almost immediately.
“The first time he makes that choice, he sits on that couch, and the couch leg breaks, and he goes flying, and it’s a horrible, horrible accident,” his mother, Amy Teemant, said.
The violent crash left Levi with a fractured skull, traumatic brain injuries, spinal fractures, broken ribs and facial fractures.
Teen Placed in Induced Coma
Due to the severity of his injuries, doctors placed Levi in an induced coma at Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City. His family spent nearly two weeks anxiously waiting for signs of improvement.
“It’s so hard to see my sweet, sweet boy like this,” Amy told KSL.
The emotional toll on the family became even more difficult as Levi remained unresponsive for days.
“I didn’t see him blink or move a muscle for more than 12 days.”
Doctors worked around the clock to stabilize the teenager and manage the extensive injuries caused by the accident.
Friends Participated Without Injury
According to his mother, Levi initially had no interest in taking part in the trend.
“He told me he was so proud that he didn’t do it,” Amy said.
However, after seeing other teenagers attempt the challenge without being hurt, he eventually changed his mind.
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“Since he saw all of his friends do it and they walked away safe, he must’ve thought it was OK,” she continued.
The decision would ultimately result in life-threatening injuries and a lengthy recovery process.
Doctors Report Multiple Similar Cases
Levi’s case is not the only couch surfing injury reported this year. According to Amy, doctors informed her that several similar incidents had already been treated at the same hospital.
“They told us this is the third case they’ve seen of couch surfing here at Primary Children’s (this year),” she said.
Medical professionals continue to warn that these types of activities can result in severe injuries, permanent disabilities or death.
Family Issues Warning to Parents and Teens
Social media platforms have taken action against similar dangerous challenges. Searches related to “table surfing” — a similar trend involving a table instead of a couch — now display warnings about potential harm.
While videos involving couch surfing and table surfing continue circulating online, Levi’s family hopes his story will encourage others to think twice before participating.
Amy says parents should talk openly with their children about viral challenges and the risks they can carry.
“This terrible thing happened and it’s one more thing to talk to your kids about,” she said.
“Be aware that this is an awful trend and it’s a terrible idea.”
The family continues focusing on Levi’s recovery while urging other teens not to take similar risks for social media attention.
What do you think about dangerous viral trends like couch surfing? Share your thoughts respectfully in the comments below.
