On July 10, 2020, The Telegraph reported a 23-year-old man from the U.K. suffered a severe allergic reaction after eating a pizza he ordered online.
On Tuesday, the outlet revealed the five words the man said before he died.
According to a hearing on the matter in Newcastle, James Atkinson, a U.K. computer programmer, had a known peanut allergy. Believing his allergy sensitivities would not be impacted by ordering pizza, he placed an order via the app called Deliveroo.
According to an investigation conducted by Home Office pathologist Dr. Jennifer Bolton, there was nothing unusual about Atkinson’s diet the day he died, the way his order was placed or the way the pizza was prepared.
Atkinson ordered a chicken tikka masala pizza and other Indian dishes with his flatmate.
Bolton revealed that Atkinson ingested only a “few chips and less than one slice of pizza” before feeling “amiss.”
His roommate noticed Atkinson’s situation deteriorating rapidly and looked for his EpiPen while Atkinson made an emergency call to summon medical responders,
Craig Hassall, counsel for Atkinson’s family reported that when medical personnel arrived, Atkinson was “gasping for breath” and close to death.
Hassall reported that Atkinson was “rushed to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle and receiving immediate medical attention,” but despite best efforts, Atkinson died at 9:21 pm.
Bolton confirmed Atkinson’s death was due to anaphylaxis following peanut ingestion.
According to court records obtained by The Telegraph, Bolton said to Hassall, “He experienced … difficulty in breathing and … was becoming aware it was getting worse [and] individuals do sometimes say ‘I am going to die.’”
Confirming the cause of death followed a toxicology report that showed there was no presence of alcohol or drugs in Atkinson’s system.
The investigation further revealed there was a “presence of peanuts” in the food Atkinson ordered — which may not have been appropriately listed on the menu items at Dadyal restaurant, where the man placed his order.
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