During a Thanksgiving vacation in Maine, 11-year-old Oakley Debbs, a straight-A student and athlete from West Palm Beach, ate a piece of pound cake from a holiday basket. Despite his usual caution due to asthma and nut allergies, Oakley didn’t detect any warning signs. After tasting the cake, he suspected it had nuts—later confirmed to be walnut.
His parents gave him Benadryl, as they had during past reactions. Initially, he felt fine, with only one hive. But minutes later, Oakley experienced chest pain, vomiting, and then went into anaphylactic shock. Though 911 was called, he tragically passed away before help could arrive.
Oakley’s family, devastated by the loss, created the Red Sneaker Foundation, named after his favorite shoes. The foundation raises awareness about severe allergic reactions and stresses the importance of using epinephrine immediately, even if symptoms seem mild.
“Oakley was brave, strong, and full of life,” said his mom, Merrill. “His legacy now lives on through this mission to protect others.”