A Texas college student died after eating a meal on a first date just days before her graduation last year, according to her family, despite having eaten the dish before. Alison Pickering, 23, had been aware of her peanut allergy since she was a child, her parents shared with CBS News, recalling how she returned home from preschool covered in hives.
"She said, 'Well, a friend of mine shared with me a chocolate Jiff sandwich,' and I was like, 'Oh!' her mother, Joy Pickering recalled. "It became evident she had a peanut allergy." whenever Alison ate something containing peanuts, she would start to "feel it in her lips and throat."
Not rare but Dangerous
Her parents would immediately rush her to the emergency room. However, they noted that these ER visits were rare because Alison became very mindful of what she ate. "She was always very, very careful," her mother recalled. "She rarely ate cookies that were not mine."
Alison maintained her vigilance even while preparing for a first date on May 4, 2023. She chose a familiar restaurant, Newton's Saddlerack, and ordered the mahi-mahi, a dish she had eaten there before.
Neither she nor the waitstaff were aware that the recipe had changed, and peanut sauce had been 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 pronounced dead just days before she was set to graduate from Tarleton State University in Stephenville. "It's tragic, and doesn't need to happen to anyone else," Grover said, while his wife shared on Facebook that they are still "struggling with many emotions" even more than a year later.
Family Devastated
"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 also said that she and Grover hope "sharing Alison's story will prevent other families from experiencing the pain we've endured."
In addition, they are advocating for clear and consistent communication in restaurants, along with comprehensive allergy training for all staff.
The Texas State Legislature had already passed the Sergio Lopez Food Allergy Awareness Act last year, aimed at improving training and communication among kitchen staff.
However, the Pickerings want to collaborate with the Texas Restaurant Association to "determine what guidelines could be put in place to help restaurants have better communication to their customers as far as ingredients, much like labels on grocery store items you buy.
"I know we're going to save lives by doing this," Joy added.
Mike Newton, owner of Newton's Saddlerack, has disputed the claims that staff were unaware of the menu change.
