Edyn Rubena-Misilisi suffered an allergic - and ultimately fatal - reaction to nuts. Photo / Supplied
Edyn Rubena-Misilisi suffered an allergic - and ultimately fatal - reaction to nuts. Photo / Supplied
As she stroked the family dog, Bonita Rubena-Misilisi smiled sadly at the casket where her teenage daughter lay and described how proud she was of her "lover of life".
Four days ago, the Auckland mother was confronted with the horror that her daughter would not wake up.
Aged just 16,Edyn Rubena-Misilisi had suffered an allergic - and ultimately fatal - reaction to nuts while the family were visiting friends near their house in Manurewa.
Edyn Rubena-Misilisi, 16, died after an allergic reaction to nuts. Photo / Supplied
It was not obvious the dish she was eating contained nuts and the teenager realised only when she started to react.
Not wanting to make a fuss, Edyn slipped out and headed home, down the street, where she injected herself with her Epipen, a device that administers adrenaline to combat severe allergic reactions.
Realising her reaction was more severe than initially thought, she dialled 111 for an ambulance.
It wasn't until the ambulance arrived that her mother discovered something was wrong.
"My friend said to me 'there's an ambulance at your house' and I said 'but there's no one home' and then I realised and ran home," Rubena-Misilisi told the Herald, tears streaming down her face.
Allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish tend to be lifelong.
Anaphylaxis - which Edyn lived with - is the most severe form of food allergy.
Manurewa High principal Pete Jones said Edyn was an outstanding student who epitomised the school's vision of "Piki atu ki te rangi" (Aim high strive for excellence).
"She was an outstanding student who fully involved herself in the life of our school and truly lived our values.
"As well as being a hard-working and high achieving scholar, she played saxophone in our award-winning band Mit Eldnar, was part of our creative MakerSpace team and an active member of our Environmental Council.
"Edyn was always generous with her time and was always thinking of other people."
Allergy New Zealand chief executive Mark Dixon said the organisation was deeply saddened to hear about Edyn's death, and heartfelt thoughts were with her family and friends.
"There is currently no cure, and those with food allergies have to avoid the food they are allergic to, to minimise the risk of having reactions."
Doctors asked Rubena-Misilisi and her husband Morris if they would consider donating their daughter's organs.
The grieving parents decided they would give away her liver, kidneys and heart.
Looking down at her daughter in her casket, the saxophone she played in her school band resting on her chest, Rubena-Misilisi smiled, proud her daughter would be remembered as a selfless lover of life who was always pushing boundaries.
"It was such a difficult decision to make, but I guess in the end it gave us a sense of calm to know that Edyn would be saving someone else which is exactly the type of person she was. To know that she might go on living in someone else gave us peace," Rubena-Misilisi said.
