7-Year-Old Named "Ransom Duel" Saves Best Friend From Death By Nutella, is Coolest Kid Ever

Culture

An Oregon first grader is being hailed as a hero after his quick thinking saved his friend's life. Ransom Duel — who has the coolest name in the world — had recently started reading nutrition facts with his family, but never thought the knowledge he gained from that could end up helping out his best friend since kindergarten.

His friend, Sullivan Moore, has a tree nut allergy that means he cannot eat almonds, cashews, pecans, hazelnuts, and more common nuts. It is generally a lifelong allergy that, if one consumes the nuts, can cause hives or even anaphylaxis.

When Moore began complaining of stomach pain at lunch one day, Duel took action. He, like Moore, thought that sharing their classmate's "chocolate thing" would be just fine and never considered Moore could be allergic. But because the chocolate treat was actually Nutella, which contains hazelnuts, Moore started to have an allergic reaction.

Duel checked the nutrition facts on the Nutella, noticed the offensive ingredient, and immediately told Moore to stop eating it. He then told a teacher, who helped Moore get the necessary medicine for his condition and called his mother to take him home.

"He walked away with some hives," said Patti Moore, Sullivan's mother. "It could have been much worse."

On Friday morning, Harritt Elementary School honored Duel in their weekly school assembly. He was presented with a PAL Hero Award certificate, a badge with his name, and a book with "Good Friend" embroidered on it.

The assembly also highlighted the importance of becoming knowledgeable about classmates' food allergies, inviting a Salem Food Allergy Network support group leader to speak at the event.

"We hoped to increase awareness of the prevalence of allergies and the potential severity of some of the reactions," said Principal Jon Penhollow. "This is another way in which we are similar and different. We want to remember to always be respectful, appreciative, and helpful with each other's differences."

In the United States, 4% of children have a food allergy. As this number grows yearly, the number of hospitalizations due to allergic reactions increases as well. It is important to not only test your children for allergies, but to take a page from the Duel family book and inform your children of ways to help friends with food allergies who could have deadly reactions.

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