'Proud Welshman' dies after allergic reaction to cheese and jalapeño peppers on pizza

A man with a history of allergic reactions to cheese and jalapeño peppers died after eating a pizza, an inquest heard. 

Robin Wynne Williams, 45, died from a severe allergic reaction which led to an anaphylactic shock.

Williams had been for a meal with his workmates in Menai Bridge but was later found dead in his motorhome.

His partner, Karen Maurice says despite the inquest she still "hasn't got answers" as to what Mr Williams was allergic to and what happened to him.

Mr Williams was a contractor on the Menai Suspension bridge and had just finished a project when he and his colleagues went for a celebratory meal at The Bridge pub.

After the meal on 2 February, he walked over the bridge to his motorhome which he had parked at the Antelope Inn pub in Bangor, an inquest heard.

Ms Maurice, said in a statement that Mr Williams rang her at 9:50pm to say he had massive lumps on his legs again and his lips were tingly.

She said she told him to drink lots of water, which had settled such symptoms previously.

The following day, on February 3, Ms Maurice rang her partner repeatedly but didn't get a reply so drove to Bangor after work, concerned for his wellbeing.

She let herself in with a spare key and found her partner slumped in the toilet cubicle with his chin on the small basin.

Ms Maurice rang paramedics but there was nothing they could do to save her partner.

The inquest in Caernarfon heard Mr Williams, from Llangollen, Denbighshire, had suffered reactions in the past.

In August 2018 he developed a rash and collapsed on a bridge after a Mexican meal with Ms Maurice. Cheese and chilli were suspected of causing the problems and Mr Williams went to his GP and a professor in Wrexham.

Mr Williams was told he was allergic to chilli and to avoid jalapeño peppers but doubted the diagnosis as he ate chilli every day.

The coroner noted the professor ordered tests but the professor warned Mr Williams he should consider himself allergic even if the results are "negative".

Kate Robertson, senior coroner for north-west Wales, said there "had been a history of a reaction to cheese and jalapeños, or a combination."

Recording a narrative conclusion, Ms Robertson added: "On the evidence and considering the balance of probabilities it is more likely there was an anaphylactic shock as a result of an allergy to food consumed." 

But Mr Williams' family believe the risks of food allergies were not presented to him in a "meaningful" way. The coroner said she would write to the GP and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to see if a Prevention of Future Deaths report is appropriate.

Speaking after the inquest, Ms Maurice, said it was "news to us" that Mr Williams was allergic to jalapeño peppers.

She said: "We didn't know that and Robin didn't know that. That seems to me as if it's life-saving information. The night Robin died he was talking about being allergic to cheese (yet) he ate cheese every day, he ate chilli every day.

"But we don't know and the coroner didn't specify what he was allergic to. In lots of ways we haven't got answers. We're still in a situation where we don't know what happened to Robin.

"We also take away the fact that Robin was let down, Robin had sought advice for his food allergies but he didn't get any meaningful answers and he didn't know what he was allergic to.

"Today can't bring Robin back but we hope that other families can learn from this and won't be in the situation that we're in."

Colleagues and friends of Mr Williams described him as "knowledgeable" and the "life and soul of the party".

His partner said: "Robin loved life. He was a proud Welshman. He was very proud to be working at Menai Bridge. He worked hard and he played hard.

"And we'd like to think that lessons... so that other families can learn how to deal with their allergies, understand what it means so that they are given the life-saving information that Robin didn't have."

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