Solana Dev Hospitalized With Third Degree Burns Trying to Pump Meme Coin

By Ryan S. Gladwin

The livestreaming meme coins meta has taken an alarming turn.

Six days after creating the TruthOrDare token (DARE) on Pump.fun, a Solana dev doused himself in isopropyl alcohol and had fireworks shot at him. He’s now being treated in a Miami trauma center for third degree burns to a large portion of his body.

Livestreaming for meme coin clout is a recent and often troubling trend. It was weird when a mom shook her boobs for her son’s token or a dev lost a tooth while boxing. But third degree burns are on a different level of weird—perhaps a sign that degens on Pump.fun should pump the brakes.

Mikol, the DARE dev, quickly went up in flames after being hit by a few fireworks. His friends, who were livestreaming it on Twitter, ran up to him to attempt to put the flames out. Unfortunately, they weren’t prepared with an extinguisher or fire blanket—only a couple gallons of water.

After 15 seconds of panic, Mikol’s burns were revealed. “He’s all burned up bruh,” one of his friends said during the livestream while Mikol flailed on the floor and more water was poured on him. It didn't take long for them to run out of water.

“Stop recording and start helping,” another friend said to the person behind the camera.

Those who were at the event, including his brother, told Decrypt they want to wait for Mikol to wake up before making a comment.

The last half of the 30 minute livestream is hard to watch. Mikol screams out in pain, claims he can’t feel his hands, and tells the others that he needs to go to the hospital.

“It burns bro, my body burns,” the dev screamed out. His friends shouted at the one driving to take them to the hospital. Mikol continues to yell out in pain. As the camera pans to him, he’s seen trying to keep his skin from touching any of the surfaces of the car.

Hours later, Michael Valentine, a viewer who told Decrypt he has over five years experience in the fire department and was speaking to Mikol during the incident, came to Telegram to attempt to explain his injuries. Due to the symptoms that Mikol described on stream as well as how the injuries looked and felt according to those with him, Valentine says he's sure the streamer has suffered third degree burns. His estimate was that 35% of his body was burned but admits that it could be more.

"We never got a full report from his friend, who's at the hospital with him now," Valentine explained to Decrypt.

Soon, a livestream from the hospital popped up with images of Mikol covered in bandages. The community reaction was mixed.

“Is he dead yet,” one Telegram user said. Others showed concern that the token was tanking. One investor found it sickening, taking to Twitter to express their disgust: “Fuck these people and I’m done getting emotionally attached to anything in crypto.”

Mikol had amassed a small but passionate community of investors who tuned in every day to see him livestream dares submitted in the Telegram group. Previously, he’d hired a recording studio to create a song, drank bong water, and set his pants on fire. But this time, it evidently went too far.

“The plan was he wanted to encourage others around the world to do dares for crypto,” DARE investor "DLuxx" told Decrypt. “The community has been buying him equipment to stream; they are collecting money to get him a car,” he explained. “They want to help him get an apartment.”

Now, the Telegram chat has a somber mood. Most bad actors have left as the odd message is dropped into the chat wishing Mikol a swift recovery. Every now and then, an investor is banned for only caring about the wellbeing of the coin over the dev’s.

“Maybe a month, a year, or a day from now some of y’all won’t know or care for Mikol,” the dev’s brother said on Telegram. “But there was no line of respect for me when Mikol is my life and for y’all he’s a one week show.”

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