A tragic incident occurred when a man’s fiancé passed away just a few days after he proposed to her. Craig McKinnon, 24, had planned a romantic getaway for his girlfriend Jess, 24, in South Africa when she suffered a fatal allergic reaction. Unfortunately, Jess had an acute dairy allergy, and unknowingly used a contaminated spoon to stir her tea, which caused her to be rushed to the hospital. Despite the efforts of the doctors, Jess was pronounced dead on New Year’s Eve.
Craig, who was heartbroken by the loss of his partner, revealed that they were a week into their dream holiday when he decided to propose. He had chosen the God’s Window viewpoint in Mpumalanga, which was a special place for Jess since many of her family members lived in South Africa. Craig reminisced about the proposal, saying that his voice cracked as he got down on one knee, and Jess cried tears of joy before saying yes.
Following their joyous engagement celebration with champagne and laughter, the couple traveled to Johannesburg to visit Jess’s mother. Tragically, it was during their stay that Jess had an unfortunate accident. While using a contaminated spoon to stir her tea, she accidentally came into contact with dairy, triggering an anaphylactic reaction. Her throat quickly closed up, and despite being taken to the hospital, she passed away on December 31.
Despite usually carrying two EpiPens in case of an allergic reaction, they were unsuccessful in saving Jess’s life on this occasion. Craig expressed the heartbreaking reality of losing Jess, stating that he feels as though a part of him has died with her. However, he also acknowledged that no one was at fault for her passing. Craig shared that Jess had previously experienced several close calls with her dairy allergy, which added to his immense grief. He was awakened by Jess’s brother, who informed him of her bad reaction and has been struggling to come to terms with his loss ever since.
Craig recounted how Jess struggled to breathe while sitting on the toilet lid, even after using an EpiPen, during one of her severe allergic reactions. He stated that Jess’s allergy to dairy, which she had developed at just nine months old, had taken a toll on her over the years. Craig shared that Jess had to be resuscitated at 18 years old after consuming milk in a curry and that she required antihistamines, an EpiPen, and a hospital trip after consuming a vegan dessert that mistakenly contained dairy.
Craig had stopped consuming dairy for the past three years due to the potential risks associated with Jess’s allergy. Following Jess’s tragic passing, Craig was faced with £3,700 in medical bills and an additional £1,200 in coroner’s fees. In response, his mother and Jess’s younger brother, Darren, created a GoFundMe page to help cover these costs and pay for Jess’s funeral, which took place in South Africa on January 6.
In addition to honoring Jess’s memory with a send-off in the UK, Craig also wants to raise awareness about the severity of allergies and the dangers they pose. He emphasized that allergies are beyond a person’s control and can have fatal consequences, which is why he hopes that people will take them seriously and be more understanding of those who have them. Craig’s desire to educate others serves as a tribute to Jess and the significant impact she had on his life.