A teenager tragically passed away while on vacation shortly after eating a meal with her mom.
Lily King sadly passed away after she consumed chicken and chips at a local restaurant while on holiday in Rabat, Morocco.
The 18-year-old, who had just completed her first year at Exeter University with top grades, was celebrating the achievement with her mother, Aicha.
On their final night in Rabat, they decided to dine at a restaurant they had visited before, confident that it would cater to Lily’s dietary restrictions.
Aicha, 56, had clearly communicated Lily’s allergies to the restaurant staff in Arabic, emphasizing the need to avoid dairy, fish, shellfish, sesame, and nuts.
“She explicitly said they should avoid cooking anything containing these allergens,” Lily’s father, Michael King, 73, told the Daily Mail.
However, shortly after their meal was served, Lily began to struggle to breathe. According to her father, Lily rushed outside to vomit and attempted to use her epi-pen.
Meanwhile, restaurant staff reportedly delayed Aicha from leaving without settling the bill, costing precious time.
“They delayed her from leaving the restaurant by a few minutes, which could have actually saved Lily’s life,” Michael stated.
Aicha recounted how she had ordered a simple meal of grilled chicken and chips, specifying not to mix it with oil.
When the meal arrived, it included chicken, vegetables, and a sauce. In the dim lighting, the vegetables resembled prawns, prompting Aicha to request the meal be removed, per the Sun.
The waiter assured her that the vegetables were merely carrots cooked in olive oil.
Within minutes of eating a carrot, Lily experienced an itchy throat that soon progressed into severe nausea.
Despite taking Piriton and using an epi-pen, her symptoms worsened. Aicha, tearfully explaining to the Daily Mail, said: “I started calling the ambulance and we went outside, so she could try to breathe.”
As Lily’s condition deteriorated, Aicha attempted to retrieve her bag from inside the restaurant.
Despite informing the staff of the dire situation, they insisted she pay the bill before leaving.
After settling the bill, Aicha found Lily outside, having already used a second epi-pen, but to no avail.
Desperate and without the ambulance arriving, Aicha drove her daughter to the hospital.
Tragically, during the 30-minute drive, Lily suffered a heart attack and later a catatonic fit, leading to brain death. She died on her mother’s shoulder.
A JustGiving page has been set up to support the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation in Lily’s memory.
At the time of writing, the page has raised over £7,000 ($8,800).
Our thoughts are with Lily’s loved ones at this difficult time.