What began as a simple treat ended in unimaginable tragedy for 19-year-old Hannah Glass. The college freshman, who had always been vigilant about her severe peanut allergy, unknowingly consumed a homemade brownie that contained a hidden danger. Just days after celebrating her birthday, her parents were left to collect her ashes.
The tight-knit community at Maranatha Baptist University in Wisconsin is mourning the untimely death of Hannah, a kind-hearted and promising student who suffered a fatal allergic reaction on November 5. The brownie, given to her by a friend, reportedly included roasted peanut flour—a gluten-free alternative that was unfamiliar to Hannah.
“She felt something was wrong after the second bite,” her father, David Glass, told WISN. He explained that the brownie had been made by a women’s group on campus and was intended to be gluten-free, but unknowingly posed a deadly risk for someone with a peanut allergy.
David and his wife Janean rushed from their home in Milton to Hannah’s dorm in Watertown, a 45-minute drive, as soon as they learned of her condition.
A Sudden and Severe Reaction
According to her father, Hannah began experiencing a violent allergic reaction shortly after eating the brownie—vomiting, breaking out in hives, and attempting to treat the symptoms with Benadryl. She climbed to her bunk bed to rest, but things quickly took a turn for the worse.
“Once she turned onto her side, the full force of anaphylaxis hit,” David recounted in a Facebook post. The reaction caused severe breathing difficulties and led to one of her lungs collapsing.
Trying to make her way down from the bed, Hannah lost consciousness before her EpiPen could be used.
“I carried her outside to wait for emergency responders,” David wrote. “She was unresponsive. There was nothing I could do.”
Paramedics arrived and tried to resuscitate her. Though they were able to restart her heart after four minutes, Hannah was rushed to Watertown Hospital, and later transferred to Froedtert Hospital, where she was placed on a ventilator.
Irreversible Brain Injury
Despite the best efforts of medical staff, the oxygen deprivation had caused severe brain damage.
In a heartbreaking update, David shared that his daughter had suffered multiple seizures that led to massive brain swelling. “There was no question. Without machines, her brain could no longer function,” he wrote. “This wasn’t about quality of life—this was about survival, and that hope was gone.”
On November 10, Hannah’s family said goodbye as she was taken for organ donation surgery. A solemn “Honor Walk” took place, with approximately 300 people lining the hospital corridor to pay their respects.
‘It’s Good to Have Her Home’
Later in the month, her parents retrieved Hannah’s ashes. In a post dated November 22, David reflected on the emotional moment. “It’s surreal. There’s comfort in having something tangible, but nothing can replace her presence. It’s not the same—but it’s still good to have her home.”
Hannah’s legacy continues through the four lives she helped save by donating her organs. Her parents are now urging others with food allergies to remain cautious and keep emergency medications up to date.
Hannah’s death is a sobering reminder of the dangers of hidden allergens. Her life, though tragically short, left a powerful impact—one that lives on in both memory and in the lives she touched and saved.
