A grieving father is making an urgent call for change after his young son died choking on a grape.
Brian Bwoga was at Burns Beach in Western Australia with his one-year-old son son Zaire on January 15 when one of the child’s friends offered him a grape to eat.
Mr Bwoga noticed something was wrong when his little boy approached him, holding his neck. He sprang into action and performed CPR.
The loving dad recalled his son turning blue and struggling to breathe.
‘I tried CPR, but nothing was coming up. He was holding me so tight,’ he told 7NEWS.
‘He gave me one final look, a smile, and passed away in my arms. He died in my arms.’
Police and paramedics tried to save his son, but he could not be revived.
‘I come from a background of being a chef, so I’m always one of those parents who cut up everything,’ Mr Bwoga said.
‘But he was playing with his friend, and his friend just shared the grape, and that was it.’
Zaire was just weeks from his second birthday when he choked to death on a grape which he had been offered by another toddler
There are currently no labelling requirements relating to choking hazards in Australia, but this is something the Zaire’s father (pictured) would like to see change
After the death of his son, Mr Bwoga became depressed. Seeking answers, he was shocked to discover the high number of choking incidents occurring in Australia.
He found out there were 134 deaths attributed to choking and suffocation among children aged four and under in 2021-2022.
Additionally, two infant deaths occurred due to food obstructing the respiratory tract during the same period.
There are currently no labelling requirements relating to choking hazards in Australia, but this is something the Zaire’s father would like to see change.
He launched an online petition urging authorities to require warning labels on packaged grapes and signage in stores that sell loose grapes.
‘Warning labels or a sign when purchasing grapes is a fairly simple thing,’ Mr Bwoga wrote in the petition.
‘In regards to cost, a sign placed where shoppers can see when they select their grapes is a one-time expense that can last several years.
‘It’s a priceless service if it saves a life.
‘Ideally, we would like supermarkets and big chains to consider putting some choking hazard warning labels on grapes just like they do on toys and other things.’
