A 13-year-old Idaho girl has died after experiencing a severe allergic reaction to a dessert that she ate at a cheerleading banquet, her family said.
Reese Langer, who was a student at Eagle Middle School, had been diligent about checking product labels since she was diagnosed with severe food allergies at a young age, news station CBS2 reported.
“She was great about knowing what foods she couldn’t have and where those ingredients would likely be hiding,” according to ReeseStrong, a nonprofit started by her family to raise awareness about food allergies.
But the teen mistakenly ate a sweet that was unsafe for her at the cheer event, her family said, without specifying what the item was.
She suffered a severe allergic reaction and died four days later on May 20.
“We prayed for a miracle but in reality, we received that 13 years ago. And we were so very blessed to have this beautiful soul in our lives,” her mother, Heather, told CBS2.
Friends and family gathered Wednesday evening for a celebration of life for the teen.
“I will always remember her for her sweet spirit, pure heart, and infectious smile,” family friend Tiffany McKee told the crowd. “She lived life with a kindness and an innate ability to make people feel loved and included.”
