It was Thanksgiving in Maine when 11-year-old Oakley Debbs was enjoying a vacation with his family. The straight-A student from West Palm Beach Florida was also a star athlete, despite having asthma and food allergies.<\/p>\n
His family had ordered a Thanksgiving basket for the occasion and Oakley decided to eat a piece of cake out of the prepared selection of treats.<\/p>\n
What happened next was a heartbreaking turn of events and one which prompted his family and friends to start a campaign to help raise awareness and prevent such incidents happening to others.<\/p>\n
Oakley loved tennis, football, soccer and was also a marathon runner despite suffering asthma and nut allergies. His family described him as a \u201cbrave and strong warrior\u201d in battling these diseases.<\/p>\n
On November 24 Oakley decided to enjoy a piece of the pound cake which had been left out on the kitchen table where they were staying in Maine. His mom Merrill Debbs said Oakley always had to check labels before he ate anything and didn\u2019t see any signs of nuts.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe thought it was just a piece of cake,\u201d said his father, Robert Debbs. \u201cBut when he ate it, he come over and said it might have contained nuts.\u201d After his mother tried some, she agreed it had a nut flavor, which was later determined to be walnut.<\/p>\n
\u201cMerrill did what we usually do, she gave him Benadryl [pills],\u201d said Robert. \u201cAnd he came back and said he felt fine.\u201d At that point, his only symptom was a single hive on his lip.<\/p>\n
But, shortly after Oakley complained of pains in his chest, then he started vomiting. His parents called 911 but when the ambulance arrived, 10 minutes later, he was blue. Oakley\u2019s airwaves had closed and his heart had stopped beating.<\/p>\n
The family then had to come to terms with such a tragic loss and understand why Oakley couldn\u2019t be saved.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think my beautiful, amazing, talented, adorable son should have passed away,\u201d said Merrill.<\/p>\n
The family started the\u00a0Red Sneaker Foundation<\/a>\u00a0which educates people on\u00a0recognizing the signs of anaphylaxis, the acute multiorgan life-threatening reaction to allergens.<\/p>\n