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.
How to Untangle Necklace Chains: A Simple Hack
Many of us struggle to keep our necklaces untangled, especially those of us who have small children at home. Allowing kids to play with our necklaces usually starts out innocently enough, but it soon spirals out of control into a tangled disaster. When it’s time to wear our favorite items, they frequently come up annoyingly knotted. But don’t worry—we have a simple fix that will spare you the trouble and effort!
Nobody wants to waste valuable time trying to untangle necklace chains. Each of us has more important things to do! Most of the time, we have a particular necklace in mind to go with our ensemble, so the last thing we need is to waste time tangle jewelry. This is where this nifty trick comes in handy.
You can easily disentangle any necklace chain with just a tiny bit of lubricant, two needles, and an opened safety pin. What’s the best thing, then? All of it is possible without having to leave your home! You will soon be able to wear your beloved necklaces again thanks to this simple and quick process.
This is how you do it:
1. Put a tiny bit of lubricant (cooking or baby oil) on the chain’s knotted section.
2. Gently pick apart the knots with two needles or an opened safety pin. Begin with the outside loops and proceed inside.
3. After the necklace begins to come loose, keep carefully pulling the knots apart until the chain comes free of all tangles.
This is definitely one of those hacks that we all love because it saves us money and time. It is not necessary to replace tangled jewelry with expensive pieces. You may prevent the frustration of having to untangle your necklaces every time you want to wear them by using this easy do-it-yourself technique to keep your necklaces in pristine form.
Make sure to tell your friends and family about this wonderful advice. They will be appreciative of it!
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