Gender reveal parties are all the rage among Instagram-obsessed millennials. Sadly, a 56-year-old woman is now dead after an explosion rocked a gender reveal party in rural Iowa. These reveals sometimes go wrong, but this one turned deadly.
Gender reveal explosion
Gender reveal parties range from cutting cakes to reveal blue or pink cake to more dangerous fireworks.
Apparently, the party where a 56-year-old woman was fatally injured opted for the latter more dangerous surprise.
While details are sparse about what exactly happened that Saturday afternoon, we do know that exploding shards from the gender reveal hit the woman.
But, by the time the ambulance got to the injured woman, it was too late. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities have to yet to release the female victim’s name. It’s tragic that what should be a happy memory will forever get tied to her death.
New baby craze
These parties are an increasingly popular trend. Particularly, as millennials began having babies.
This pampered generation has high expectations for those special moments in their life. Each one must be Instagram-worthy.
So they opt to spice up their pregnancy announcements and insert an element of surprise. The reveal is now a regular and often exciting family event.
The parties also show the change in dynamics between millennial couples compared to their parents and grandparents.
Women-only baby showers frequently get replaced with gender reveal parties where everyone gets invited regardless of gender.
And while fun and cute, the over-the-top nature of these gender-oriented parties are getting some pushback.
Gender reveal fails
Some of the most popular videos online are hilarious (if unfortunate) gender reveal fails.
One New Jersey dad broke his ankle at the reveal for their second child, kicking a football filled with pink powder.
“I spent the week prepping new patio furniture, a new grill. I put up a pool for the kids,” Chris Ojeda posted online after visiting the doctor. “And everything was going smoothly until we did the gender reveal.”
Another reveal party resulted in a catastrophe in Arizona. The 2018 sawmill fire near Tuscon was ignited by a gender reveal explosion.
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The fire burned more than 47,000 acres and more than $8 million in damage. Thankfully, no one died, and no one lost a home in the blaze.
Dennis Dickey, a U.S. Border Patrol agent, paid fines $100,000 upfront and another $500 every month for the next 20 years.
However, the Dickey’s disastrous gender reveal isn’t wholly a loss. The CBP agent also agreed to conduct public service announcements about the dangers of doing things that can unintentionally start fires.
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Live in the moment, not on Instagram
Hopefully, the Iowa woman’s death acts as a reminder to expectant parents and their loved ones wanting to do a fun gender reveal.
Just because it’s a tube with colored explosive material doesn’t mean it’s not a Roman candle.
Instagram, in fact, has an entire channel dedicated to these over-the-top reveals. Here’s a perfect [yet thankfully safe] example:
An Instagram-worthy moment is not worth a life.