A grieving mother has shared her anguish after witnessing her teenage son die over a video call following a severe allergic reaction while on holiday in Turkey.
Idris Qayyum, 19, from West London, had been enjoying his first trip abroad without his family in Antalya in June 2023 when tragedy struck. Living with a lifelong severe peanut allergy, Idris had taken precautions to avoid exposure but tragically lost his life after eating a cake that he had been assured was peanut-free.
According to his mother, Ayeshah Bathia, Idris had triple-checked with waitstaff, even using Google Translate to confirm that the cake contained no peanuts. Despite these efforts, moments after consuming it, Idris began to experience severe symptoms.
Returning to his room with a friend, he quickly deteriorated. The friend called Ayeshah, who witnessed the unthinkable via video as her son’s condition worsened. Idris’s heart stopped 20 minutes later, leaving his mother and sister helplessly watching the events unfold.
“Our lives have been shattered forever,” Ayeshah told MailOnline. “To lose our son at 19 is the worst tragedy any family could face. But to lose him in circumstances where we were unable to help is unbearable.”
Ayeshah described the harrowing moments she spent pleading with hotel staff to use Idris’s EpiPen or call for emergency assistance.
“I saw him lying on the floor, with staff attempting CPR,” she said. “I was shouting, crying, begging them to give him his EpiPen and call an ambulance, but it was too late.”
Idris’s family has initiated legal proceedings against Love Holidays, the travel agency that arranged his trip. They claim the company and its suppliers failed to provide accurate allergen information and lacked adequate training for staff, which they believe contributed to Idris’s death.
The family is now calling for improved allergy awareness in the travel industry.
“Travel companies and hotels must prioritize safety,” Ayeshah emphasized. “Staff must be trained on allergies and anaphylaxis, and food labeling must be clear. We don’t want another family to suffer this kind of loss.”
In a statement, Love Holidays expressed their condolences, stating:
“We are deeply saddened by Mr. Qayyum’s passing and extend our heartfelt sympathies to his family. The safety of our customers is our top priority, and we are conducting a thorough investigation with the hotel involved. As the family has instructed lawyers, we cannot comment further.”
Idris’s family hopes their tragic story will raise awareness about the critical need for proper allergen training and labeling in the hospitality industry.
“If our loss can save even one life, it will mean Idris’s death was not in vain,” Ayeshah concluded.
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