Minnesota teenager Noah Walden is warning others against using metal grill brushes after a loose bristle ended up in a burger he ate, leading to emergency surgery and the removal of about three inches of his bowel.
The incident happened after a Memorial Day barbecue in Stillwater, Minnesota, and Walden has since urged people to “do a lot of chewing when you’re grilling”.
According to Walden and his family, he ate the burger on May 26, 2026, did not notice anything unusual at the time, and only began to feel serious pain several days later.
Speaking to WCCO, Walden recalled what happened:
“I had two burgers, and my guess is one of them had the grill bristle in it, and I swallowed it.
“But when I got up, I couldn’t lay back down. It was just so much pain.”
He said he neither noticed the taste of the bristle nor felt it as he swallowed it. The ordeal ultimately led to surgeons removing part of his bowel.
Doctors later found the bristle in his bowel during a CT scan and said it had pierced his intestine.
Walden remained in hospital for several days before doctors determined that surgery was necessary. The teen underwent emergency surgery on June 4, and his family said he was discharged on June 7.
After the frightening experience, his mother, Amie Walden, shared a clear message for anyone planning cookouts this summer.
“Get rid of your metal grill bristle brushes,” she said.
She said surgeons had to remove part of her son’s bowel, which required a six-inch cut across his abdomen.
Reflecting on the operation, Walden said:
“I’m just kind of glad that, you know, I could get it over with and eventually be done with this ongoing pain.”
The case comes as U.S. regulators have again warned about the danger posed by wire grill brushes. In 2026, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced recalls covering more than 13 million metal wire bristle grill brushes from Weber and Nexgrill after reports that tiny bristles could detach, stick to food and cause serious internal injuries that may require surgery.
Nexgrill also addressed the issue in a statement, saying:
“Small metal wire bristles can detach from the brushes and stick to the grill or food, posing an ingestion hazard or risk of serious internal injuries that could require surgery.”
They added:
“There have been a limited number of reported injury incidents associated with these grill brushes.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we made the proactive decision to voluntarily recall these brushes.
“Nexgrill strongly urges customers to stop using the affected brush models immediately and to participate in our voluntary recall.”
The company said affected customers should stop using the recalled brushes and follow the recall instructions to receive a refund. Safety officials and medical experts recommend using bristle-free alternatives such as wood scrapers, steam cleaners or crumpled aluminum foil instead.