Alison Pickering was days away from her college graduation when she went out on a first date with a boyfriend in the spring of 2023 in Stephenville, Texas. As she suffered from a severe peanut allergy since childhood, the 23-year-old always chose the restaurants she dined at carefully. That evening, the student opted for an establishment that she knew well and which offered dishes that did not endanger her life.
“She constantly went to the same restaurants and always ordered the same food. It had become a habit,” Grover Pickering, Alison’s father, told CBS News. During this romantic date, the young woman opted for mahi-mahi, a dish that she had already eaten several times at this place, without it causing the slightest problem. However, the Texan and the servers were unaware that in the kitchen, changes had been made to the recipe: a peanut sauce had been added.
She took a few bites and realized something was wrong, her father testified. Alison used her adrenaline auto-injector and was able to get into the ambulance on her own while talking to emergency responders. “But at some point the situation got worse,” says Grover Pickering. Victim of anaphylactic shock, the unfortunate woman lost consciousness and never woke up. “It’s tragic and it shouldn’t happen to anyone else,” said the bereaved father.
A year and a half after their daughter’s death, the Pickerings are fighting to raise awareness in Texas restaurants. “We would like more measures to be taken so that the waiting staff and customers are better informed,” explains Joy, the victim’s mother. The couple wants to work hand in hand with the Texas Restaurant Association to improve staff training in establishments, as well as communication with customers regarding the ingredients contained in recipes. “I know we are going to save lives by doing this,” concludes Grover Pickering.
