College student died from allergic reaction after restaurant she visited unexpectedly changed menu
Poppy Bilderbeck
Featured Image Credit: Family handout/CBS News
The parents of a 23-year-old who passed away after eating contaminated food from a restaurant she frequently visited are speaking out to raise awareness.
Alison Pickering was in preschool when she and her family realized she had a severe peanut allergy and since then, the 23-year-old Texas college student had been diligent about what she could and couldn't eat, choosing several restaurants to frequently go to, ordering the same dishes, in the knowledge they'd always been safe.
However, days before graduating from Tarleton State University in Stephenville in 2023, Alison visited one of the usual restaurants she goes to and ordered the same dish, not realizing it had changed.
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Alison's parents, Joy and Grover Pickering, said their daughter had been on a date at the time she experienced the allergic reaction in May 2023.
Grover told CBS News Alison ordered the same dish she always ordered from the restaurant - a Mahi-Mahi. However, after a 'few bites', she quickly 'realized something was wrong'.
The dad continued: "She did her Epipen. The ambulance came. She actually walked to the ambulance talking to them, but somewhere along the way things went downhill."
Last year, Texas passed a bill called the Sergio Lopez Food Allergy Awareness Act in honor of Sergio Alexander Lopez, who passed away after 'unknowingly ingesting peanut butter at a restaurant despite checking with employees whether it was safe to eat'.
Alison's parents hope to work with the Texas Restaurant Association to strengthen the bill and improve communication between restaurants and consumers alongside providing additional more in-depth training for staff.
The Pickerings say they hope to 'determine what guidelines can be put in place to help restaurants have better communication with their customers as far as ingredient'.
Joy resolved: "It's tragic. It doesn't need to happen to anyone else."
Allergic Living has also addressed Alison's passing and spoken out in support of her family's goals.
It wrote: "At Allergic Living, we know our followers join us in sending condolences to the Pickerings, who are grieving the loss of their beloved daughter.
"I know it’s always difficult for our community to hear of food allergy tragedies. While allergy deaths aren’t common, they still hit very close to home.
"We support the Pickerings’ efforts for further training and ingredient transparency in restaurants, in their state. We hope greater efforts are made right across North America."
UNILAD has contacted the Texas Restaurant Association for comment.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact The Compassionate Friends on (877) 969-0010.