Hannah Glass, a 19-year-old college student, tragically passed away after an unexpected allergic reaction to a homemade brownie. This heartbreaking incident has left her family and community in shock.
On November 5, just two days after her 19th birthday, Hannah, a freshman at Maranatha Baptist University, ate a brownie given to her by a friend. Hannah had a known peanut allergy and was usually cautious, but she didn’t realize the treat contained roasted peanut flour, a gluten-free ingredient. After taking only two bites, she felt something was wrong.
Her father, David Glass, explained that her reaction was immediate. She began to experience hives and vomiting. Fortunately, she found some relief after taking Benadryl. But her condition worsened when she crawled back to her top bunk to rest. “When Hannah rolled on her side, the anaphylactic reaction hit incredibly hard,” David said. This led to her lung collapsing, worsening her situation.
Hannah tried to climb down from her bed but lost consciousness halfway down. Her father administered her EpiPen before carrying her outside to wait for the ambulance. Paramedics worked quickly to revive her, but her heart had stopped for four minutes. She was rushed to a hospital, then transferred to another facility, where doctors placed her on a ventilator.
Despite efforts to save her, Hannah suffered severe brain damage due to several seizures, leaving her without hope of recovery. On November 10, her family said their final goodbye during an emotional “Honor Walk,” where about 300 people lined the hallway as she was taken to the operating room for organ donation.
Hannah’s organs saved four lives, and her parents continue to remind others to stay aware of food allergies and keep their EpiPens up to date. After picking up her cremated remains, David shared how it feels to have something tangible to remember her by, even though it’s not the same as having her with them.