A 22-year-old “kind-hearted” Rhode Island faculty graduate died after consuming a snack contaminated with a standard allergen — simply days after he obtained his diploma.
Timothy Howard, a communication research pupil from the College of Rhode Island, died on Could 24 after having a extreme allergic response to peanuts, his mom, Patty Howard, shared in an emotional Fb submit.
“It is with heavy hearts we share the loss of our son Timmy to a severe anaphylactic reaction to peanuts,” she wrote. “We just celebrated his college graduation and he had his whole life ahead of him. Our hearts are broken and we now have joined a club no one wants to be apart (sic) of.”
The heartbroken mom added that she’s taking the aftermath of the stunning incident “one day at a time.”
“It is not goodbye forever it is until we meet again!” she added. “We will always love our Timmy.”
Howard earned his diploma from the College of Rhode Island on Could 16.
Howard’s father, Tim, claimed the extreme anaphylactic response occurred when the post-grad ate a late-night snack that was contaminated with peanuts, in accordance with WJAR.
“He came in and woke us up, and said that he couldn’t breathe, and at that point, it unfolded very quickly over a matter of minutes,” his father advised WJAR. “And we administered multiple EpiPens. The reaction was too far gone.”
His dad and mom are uncertain about how a lot of the contaminated snack he consumed.
Howard’s frat brothers at Phi Kappa Psi have began a fundraiser for FARE, the Meals Allergy Analysis and Training group, to “Prevent other families from facing similar tragedies.”
“Timmy was just beginning what promised to be a remarkable journey in life,” the fundraiser web page arrange by his fraternity claimed. “He was driven, kind, and deeply loved by family, friends, and everyone who had the joy of knowing him. He had so much ahead of him, and he approached life with a rare kind of kindness and light. He was the person you could always count on to listen—really listen.”
The fundraiser surpassed its aim of $25,000.
Howard, who grew up in Southborough, Mass., was remembered as a “genuinely kind-hearted, humble, loving and empathetic soul” who had a “passion for sports.”
“He had a love of life and especially loved hanging out with his close high school friends and cousins and his Phi Kappa Psi frat brothers at URI,” his obituary acknowledged. “Timmy deeply cherished growing up on a cul-de-sac with his “Foley Crew” of buds who’ve remained his brothers all through his life.”
A memorial service occurred on Could 30 in Brewster, Mass.
Howard is survived by his dad and mom, sister, grandmother, and prolonged household.
