When 19-year-old Hannah Glass took a bite of a homemade brownie, she had no idea it would be her last. Just two days after celebrating her birthday, the Maranatha Baptist University freshman suffered a fatal allergic reaction that left her family shattered and a campus community in mourning.
Hannah had always been vigilant about her severe peanut allergy. But on November 5, a friend gave her a brownie that unknowingly contained roasted peanut flour—a hidden danger masked within the gluten-free recipe.
“She knew something was wrong after the second bite,” her father, David Glass, told WISN. The brownie had been made by a women’s group on campus using roasted peanut flour, a substitute for gluten, unaware it posed a deadly risk to those with peanut allergies.
David and his wife, Janean, rushed the 45-minute drive from their home in Milton, Wisconsin, to Hannah’s dorm in Watertown. But it was too late. Days later, the young couple who once dropped their daughter off for her first semester found themselves picking up her ashes.
Now, what began as a kind gesture has become a heartbreaking reminder of how a simple ingredient can turn deadly—and how important awareness is when it comes to food allergies.
Hannah Glass’s allergic reaction was swift—and devastating. What began with hives and nausea quickly escalated into a life-threatening crisis that her family would never forget.
“She threw up, broke out in hives, and took Benadryl,” recalled her father, David Glass. Initially, it seemed the medication might ease her symptoms. But when Hannah climbed up to her top bunk to lie down, things took a terrifying turn.
“When she rolled on her side, the anaphylactic reaction hit with full force,” David shared in a heartbreaking Facebook post on November 11. “She began gasping for air. Her right lung collapsed, making everything worse.”
Disoriented but still trying to help herself, Hannah attempted to climb down from her bed—but lost consciousness halfway down the ladder, before anyone could administer her EpiPen.
“I picked Hannah up and carried her outside to wait for the ambulance,” David wrote. “She was completely unresponsive, and I felt incredibly helpless.”
Paramedics arrived and fought to revive her. Though they were able to restart her heart after four excruciating minutes, the damage had been done. Hannah was rushed to Watertown Hospital and later transferred to Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee, where she was placed on a ventilator.
But the news that followed was shattering.
‘Her brain was terminally damaged’
Hannah had suffered multiple seizures, leading to severe swelling of the brain. Her parents were told there was no hope for recovery.
“The majority of her brain was unmistakably, critically, and—without life support—terminally damaged,” David wrote. “There were no talks of quality of life. This was only life or death.”
Her family stood by as doctors did everything they could, but the outcome was painfully clear.
‘Our endless walk’
On November 10, 2024, Hannah was given a hero’s farewell. Before being taken into surgery to donate her organs, she was honored with a solemn “Honor Walk.” Around 300 people lined the hospital hallway—nurses, doctors, classmates, friends—offering silent tribute as her family made their final walk beside her.
“She gave life to others, even in her death,” her father wrote. “And we took that endless walk by her side… to say our last goodbye.”
“It Was Good to Have Her Home”: Family Finds Solace After Tragic Loss
“It seemed like an endless walk, yet it was also going too quickly,” David Glass recalled of the Honor Walk—a moment suspended in time as he and his family accompanied their daughter one last time.
In a Facebook post shared on November 22, 2024, David reflected on the surreal experience of picking up Hannah’s cremated remains.
“We went and picked up Hannah’s cremated remains. It was and is a strange mix of emotions. There is still a strong sense of disbelief,” he wrote. “Having this physical, tangible memorial of her life is comforting in a way—something to see, to hold on to. But it’s also heartbreaking, because this isn’t the relationship we once had. Still… it is good to have her home.”
In the midst of grief, the Glass family is turning their pain into purpose—advocating for increased awareness of food allergies and the importance of preparedness.
“Always be aware,” David urged. “Make sure your EpiPens are up to date.”
Hannah’s final act of compassion lives on: her organ donations have already saved the lives of four people in desperate need.
Her story is a heartbreaking reminder of how fragile life can be—but it’s also a testament to love, generosity, and the enduring power of a legacy. Hannah Glass will be remembered not only for the life she lived, but for the lives she touched, even in death.