A Texas college student died after eating a meal she had had before on a first date just days before her graduation last year.
Alison Pickering, 23, had known she had a peanut allergy since she returned home from preschool with hives, her parents told CBS News.
'She said, "Well, a friend of mine shared with me a chocolate Jiff sandwich," and I was like, "Oh!"' her mother, Joy Pickering recounted. 'And it became evident she had a peanut allergy.'
From then on, whenever she would eat something that had peanuts as an ingredient, Alison would start to 'feel it in her lips and in her throat,' and her parents would rush her to the emergency room.
But they said those ER visits were rare, as Alison became cognizant of what she was eating.
'She was always very, very careful,' her mom said. 'She rarely ate cookies that were not mine.'
Alison even remained vigilant as she was preparing for a first date on May 4, 2023 - choosing a restaurant she had eaten at before, Newton's Saddlerack, and ordering the mahi-mahi, a dish she had previously eaten at the restaurant.
Neither she nor the wait staff knew the recipe had changed and peanut sauce was added.
'She took a few bites, realized something was wrong,' Alison's father Grover said. 'She did her EpiPen. The ambulance came. She actually walked to the ambulance talking to them but somewhere along the way things went downhill.'
Alison was then pronounced dead just days before her graduation from Tarleton State University in Stephenville.
'It's tragic and doesn't need to happen to anyone else,' Grover said as his wife posted on Facebook that they are still 'grappling with many emotions' more than one year later.
'Through our heartbreak we are determined to honor Alison's memory by raising awareness about the critical need for transparency in the restaurant industry,' Joy wrote on Tuesday. 'Disclosing clearly-known anaphylactic allergens like peanuts or peanut sauce is simple and no cost to restaurants but is a matter of life and death to customers.'
She added that she and Grover hope that 'by sharing Alison's story no other family will have to endure the pain we've experienced.' At the same time they are calling for clear consistent communication at restaurants and comprehensive allergy training for all restaurant staff.
The Pickerings' Advocacy
- The Pickerings are now calling for clear consistent communication at restaurants
- Comprehensive allergy training for all restaurant staff
Sergio Lopez Food Allergy Awareness Act
- The Texas State Legislature passed this act last year
The Pickerings' Future Plans
- Work with Texas Restaurant Association
- Create guidelines similar to grocery store item labels
- Aim: Improve ingredient communication in restaurants