It was Thanksgiving in Maine, and 11-year-old Oakley Debbs was on vacation with his family. Oakley, a top student from West Palm Beach, Florida, was also a star athlete, even though he had asthma and food allergies.
For the holiday, his family had ordered a Thanksgiving basket full of treats. Oakley chose to have a piece of cake from the basket.
Tragically, something went wrong after he ate the cake, leading to a heartbreaking event. His family and friends are now working to raise awareness and prevent similar incidents from happening to others.
Despite his asthma and nut allergies, Oakley loved playing tennis, football, soccer, and even running marathons. His family remembers him as a “brave and strong warrior” who fought hard against his conditions.
On November 24, Oakley Debbs, an 11-year-old, had a piece of pound cake that was left on the kitchen table where his family was staying in Maine. His mom, Merrill Debbs, said Oakley always checked labels to avoid nuts and didn’t see any warnings.
“He thought it was just a piece of cake,” his dad, Robert Debbs, explained. “But after he ate it, he mentioned it might have nuts.” Merrill agreed the cake had a nutty taste, which turned out to be walnut.
Merrill gave Oakley Benadryl, as they usually did for allergic reactions, and he said he felt fine. At that point, he only had a small hive on his lip.
But soon after, Oakley complained of chest pain and started vomiting. His parents called 911, but by the time the ambulance arrived ten minutes later, Oakley was blue. His airway had closed, and his heart had stopped.
I’m writing on behalf of Robert J. Debbs, Merrill Debbs, and Oakley’s twin sister, Olivia. It is with a heavy heart that I…
Posted by Tyler Debbs Squire on Saturday, November 26, 2016
The family struggled to accept Oakley’s tragic death and understand why he couldn’t be saved.
“I don’t think my beautiful, amazing son should have passed away,” Merrill said.
In response, the family started the Red Sneaker Foundation to teach people about anaphylaxis, a severe allergic reaction that can be life-threatening. They chose red sneakers as a symbol because Oakley loved them, hoping to increase awareness about food allergies.
Posted by Red Sneakers For Oakley on Thursday, December 1, 2016
Experts recommend using epinephrine for even mild allergic reactions. Merrill said, “Oakley was a rock star, a good kid. I always knew he’d make a difference—just not after he passed away. That’s a big part of why we’re doing this.”
Please share this story to help raise awareness about food allergies and prevent future tragedies.
McDonald’s has turned its golden arches upside down to make an interesting statement.
McDonald’s, one of the largest fast-food restaurants in the globe, celebrated women and reminded them that they are all great in their own special ways by inverting its famous arches.
The company made the decision to flip Mickey’s arches on March 8, 2018, International Women’s Day, a “global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.”
Many were so shocked by the transformation and thought they had visited a foreign planet that they conjectured it had anything to do with the company’s ongoing conflict with Wendy’s.
But they were completely wrong. Instead, the emblem has been flipped as part of a “celebration of women everywhere,” according to a spokeswoman.McDonald’s decided to update the signage of their Lynwood, California location while keeping their social media logos the same.
The “W”-shaped symbol was worn by employees on shirts and caps at the same time, and 100 restaurants countrywide provided special packaging with the logo.”For the first time in our brand’s history, we flipped our iconic arches for International Women’s Day to celebrate the amazing accomplishments of women everywhere, especially in our restaurants.” Wendy Lewis, Chief Diversity Officer at McDonald’s, stated.
A brand spokesperson, Lauren Altman, claims that the new design was created to honor women everywhere. “We have a long history of empowering women to advance and prosper in the workplace.”
We are pleased to announce that six out of ten restaurant managers in the US are now women. We’re proud of our variety,” she continued. The corporation will update its logo on all social media channels, and 100 websites will receive new “packaging, crew shirts, hats, and bag stuffers.”
McDonald’s isn’t the only company that supports gender equality and rewards women.In the past, Johnnie Walker released a “Jane Walker” bottle in honor of women, with $1 from the sale of each bottle going to organizations that promote women’s rights.”In society, gender conversations are still very important.”
And we believe that this is the perfect time to launch our Jane Walker logo and support progressive groups that share our values,” vice president Stephanie Jacoby of Johnnie Walker said.
“We are proud to honor the numerous accomplishments of women as well as everyone’s progress toward gender equality.”
One of the companies supporting the initiative was Brawny, which replaced the Brawny Man with a woman and donated $100,000 to Girls, Inc.
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