Freshman dies after suffering allergic reaction

The death of IU freshman Kareem Bacchus shocked his friends and family Tuesday morning, when the 17-year-old apparently suffered a brain hemorrhage caused after being treated for an allergic reaction to something he ate on Saturday evening.\nPolice responded to a medical assistance call from Bacchus’ roommate Sunday morning in McNutt Quad, IU Police Department Captain Jerry Minger said. \n“He had informed his friends that he was having an allergic reaction to something he ate at Malibu Grill,” Minger said. “When the symptoms became worse very quickly, they called for help.”\nBacchus was transported to Bloomington Hospital early Sunday morning, where he remained until he passed away shortly after midnight Tuesday. Monroe County Coroner David Toumey said the official cause of death would not be announced for several weeks. \nBacchus’ friends confirmed that he had a severe allergy to seafood and lactic acid, a compound found in milk products. Officials and his family, however did not disclose what he ate that caused the reaction. \nMalibu Grill declined to comment on the incident. \nBacchus, known to his friends at IU as a talented and socially engaged student, was commended by Dean of Students Dick McKaig. \n“He was elected vice president of McNutt and was a direct admit student to Kelley School of Business,” McKaig said.\nA memorial service was held Tuesday in the Georgian Room of the Indiana Memorial Union by the Muslim Student Union, of which Bacchus was a member. \nThe group’s president, Myeda Hussain, encouraged all of Bacchus’ friends to attend to honor him.\nHussain also said the family \nrequests that friends honor Bacchus by not creating Facebook groups online. Many family members still do not know of Bacchus’ condition, Hussain said. \nBacchus’ friends from his hometown Plano, Texas, also attended the memorial service, praising Bacchus’ personality and talents.\n“He had a beautiful singing voice, a bass, and very low,” IU freshman Molly Langteau said. “He was personable and always trying to help people.”\nFreshman Emily Stern added to Langteau’s sentiments, saying that “he was very, very smart and actually skipped a grade. He was only 17, and was a direct admit into the business school.” \nLangteau also said that Bacchus had played a large role in coordinating the 9/11 memorial service at McNutt last week, by singing the national anthem and gathering more than 200 students.\n“We didn’t get to know him that well,” Stern said. “But that didn’t matter to him. He would have done anything for us. We didn’t know him that well, but he touched our lives.” \nLangteau echoed Stern’s words. \n“He could have been a leader, and he could have done something amazing,” she said. “He could have cured the very allergies that he suffered from.” \nCounseling and Psychological Services representative Dr. Nancy Stockton was available at the memorial service, and reminds students touched by Bacchus that CAPS has walk-in hours from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays, and offers an emergency response team for all tragedies.