Graduate Student, 25, Frantically Texts Mom Before Nut Allergy Puts Him in a Coma

Mar. 15, 2025

George Cadman-Ithell, who has a nut allergy, went into cardiac arrest after accidentally ingesting walnuts.Photo:GoFundMe

GoFundMe

A graduate student with anut allergysent frantic texts to his mother after he discovered he’d eaten a snack that contained nuts. They would be his final messages to her before he ended up in a coma.

George Cadman-Ithell, 25, texted his mother, Louise Cadman, 56, to say he picked up a snack bag of salami. In the message, he told his mom that the treats were “nice,” according to a report in theDaily Mail.

However, the writing at the top of the bag was in French — and George didn’t notice the English print at the bottom of the bag mentioning that the snack contained walnuts.

“F— they contain walnuts!,” he texted his mother, who promptly replied, “You’ve not eaten any have you?”

George Cadman-Ithell.GoFundMe

“Yes,” George answered. Louise said she sent another text urging him to get medical attention, but he did not respond.

George had hurried home where his husband, Joe Nolan, 25, administered anEpiPen. But eight minutes had passed since he’d eaten the nuts. George went into cardiac arrest.

Although Joe administered CPR, George’s brain wasdeprived of oxygenfor 26 minutes, theDaily Mailreports. He received further treatment from paramedics.

George is now in a London hospital, according to aGoFundMehis older sister, Alex Cadman, set up to help pay for his treatment.

“At present, George remains in an unconscious but stable state. We do not know the level of damage the hypoxic injury has made on the brain, but the impact will be life-changing for George and our family,” the GoFundMe says.

Although there have been some positive developments — George is breathing on his own — the road ahead is uncertain, as the GoFundMe says, “the same progress has not been seen neurologically.”

Alex shared that George is experiencing “neurostorms,” which theNational Institute of Healthexplains is hyperactivity in the brain after a traumatic injury, and can include “periodic episodes of increased heart rate and blood pressure, sweating, hyperthermia, and motor posturing,”

Alex ended her update with a plea to care for those with nut allergies: “Look out for yourselves and loved ones. Check and re-check ingredients for allergies. Don’t ever feel like you’re a burden for having allergies/intolerances. The world needs to accommodate YOU, not the other way around.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

source: people.com