The memorial service for eighth grader Trey King is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. at the school’s gymnasium. Afterward, a private graveside service will be held at Arlington Cemetery in Midwest City.

Earlier this week, counselors from other schools in the Choctaw-Nicoma Park district were at Nicoma Park Middle School helping students deal with their classmate’s death, Superintendent Jim McCharen said. Local youth pastors also were called to assist students with the grieving process.

“We’re dealing with early adolescents, and there is a gamut of emotions that they are experiencing. Some students internalize their feelings, while others are openly emotional. Others want to talk to adults, and some students don’t want to talk at all,” he said. “It’ll be a tough week for the staff to reassure and guide the kids through this.”

The boy’s father, Randy King, said the tragedy should be a lesson for other parents and teenagers.

“Until Friday, we had never heard the term before,” he said. “We want parents to talk to their kids about huffing. There needs to be more education. We want to get the word out about how tragic it can be. We felt like we were good parents and were involved in our son’s life, but one of his friends showed another friend how to do it and then he showed our son.”

Randy King said the teenagers “thought it was fun to do. They thought it was like sucking helium out of a balloon. I don’t know if they knew how dangerous it can be.”

Test results
Investigators with the Oklahoma State Medical Examiner’s office are waiting on toxicology reports before issuing a cause of death. The tests will take about three to six weeks to complete.

King was found unconscious at 509 Country Lane, and attempts to revive him were unsuccessful, Midwest City Police Chief Brandon Clabes said. Investigators said it’s unclear how much Freon the teen inhaled before losing consciousness. Police have determined foul play was not involved in the boy’s death, the chief said.

According to medical experts, huffing Freon freezes the lungs and causes a rapid high that resembles alcohol intoxication.

The American Association of Poison Control reports more than 2,000 victims of Freon huffing have been hospitalized since 2009, but only two fatalities had been reported prior to King’s death.