Woman accidentally discovers swallowed AirPods are acid resistant for nine hours

Image Credit: Moe Kennedy

On June 14, 2023, Moe Kennedy found herself in an unusual predicament when she accidentally swallowed one of her AirPods Pro while asleep. What started as a strange dream became an unforgettable journey to the emergency room that will stick with Kennedy and her medical team for years to come.

Around 3 a.m., Kennedy woke up abruptly, realizing she had seemingly swallowed one of her AirPods Pro. In a panic, she tried unsuccessfully to vomit it back up.

She and her mother decided to err on the side of caution. The pair headed to the nearby emergency room at the Covington Medical Center.

"If you've ever lost an AirPod and you're wondering where to look... Maybe look in your stomach because maybe you've eaten it like I did," Moe says in a video posted to TikTok.

When Kennedy arrived, she had to explain her situation to the medical staff. They were surprised and amused to hear that her AirPods Pro were still working. Kennedy's mother could connect to them and hear her daughter's stomach sounds and laughter.

After conducting a CT scan, the medical team discovered that the AirPod had rapidly moved deeper into Kennedy's stomach and was stuck in a precarious position. There were concerns it could remain lodged or require a more invasive surgical procedure if not addressed promptly.

To prevent this, Kennedy was transported by ambulance to the hospital and underwent an emergency endoscopy.

Kennedy woke up after the procedure with her AirPod safely removed and resting in a cup on her lap. Grateful for the successful outcome and the exceptional care she received, she thanked the medical team for their positive attitude and good humor about the whole situation.

"Overall, I would 100% recommend the [AirPods Pro], but I 1000% do not recommend eating them," Kennedy told AppleInsider in an email. "Just happy I ended up totally fine, and laughing that I accidentally tested out the Pros ability to be stomach acid proof, which I found out, was at least up to 9 hours."

Kennedy isn't the first person to have accidentally swallowed an AirPod in her sleep, either. In February 2021, a Massachusetts man swallowed one of his AirPods after it fell out of his ear in his sleep.