KINGSTON, R.I. – July 1, 2025 – When Timothy “Timmy” Howard graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a bachelor’s degree in communications in May, it was a joyous moment for himself and his loved ones.

Just days later, tragedy struck when the 22-year-old passed away from an allergic reaction to peanuts while having a snack in his family’s home in Southborough, Massachusetts.

“He came in our room and woke us up, and said that he couldn’t breathe,” his father Tim Howard said. “At that point, everything unfolded in a matter of minutes.” Timmy’s parents called 911 and administered multiple epinephrine auto-injectors, commonly known as EpiPens, but the reaction was too far along.

“Timmy was on the cusp of just starting his life,” his mother Patty Howard said. “We appreciate the support we’ve received from the URI community, Timmy’s friends, and family during this very difficult time.”

With the blessing of his family, Timmy’s friends from URI’s Phi Kappa Psi fraternity set up an online fundraiser on Give a Hand to benefit Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE), the nation’s leading nonprofit organization dedicated to food allergy awareness, advocacy, research, and education. As of June 26, more than $29,000 has been raised from 659 donors.

“It’s amazing how much money has been raised,” said Patty. “The response has been tremendous and it’s much appreciated.”

One of Timmy’s closest fraternity brothers, Kourosh Emami, spearheaded the FARE fundraiser.

“Timmy taught me that goodness never has to be loud to be strong,” said Emami, who completed a bachelor’s degree from URI in biological sciences in May. “He was always there for me when I needed it most—not with big gestures or grand speeches, but with an unwavering presence and real listening. In a world—and especially a college environment—that is often dominated by the loudest voices, Timmy never chased attention. He didn’t need to. His authenticity and kindness spoke louder than words.”

Emami and fellow fraternity brother Tyler Schultz lived with Timmy the last two years in a house they rented with others from their fraternity pledge class.

“Timmy always had a smile on his face and never complained about anything,” said Schultz, a native of Livingston, New Jersey, who earned a bachelor’s degree from URI in business administration. “He loved to be with everyone but also knew when he needed time for himself. He taught me so much about myself and how to treat others. He meant so much to me, not just as a friend or a roommate, but almost like another brother.”

After Timmy’s death received media attention, people from all over the world reached out to the Howard family to express support.

“We’ve been contacted by parents who lost children in a similar way,” said Patty. “We need to come together to spread awareness about food allergies and try to influence positive changes, such as making it mandatory for EpiPens to be readily available in every school, camp, and first responder’s vehicle. Early detection is key and EpiPens are the best defense with a severe food allergy reaction. In Timmy’s situation, the EpiPens were not administered soon enough and could not stop his body from going into shock.”

Patty also emphasized the need to clarify common misconceptions about food allergies.

“Some myths can be dangerous, such as thinking Benadryl is just as good as an epinephrine auto-injector when it comes to stopping a severe allergic reaction,” said Patty. “Benadryl will never stop a severe anaphylaxis reaction. Many people also don’t realize that tree nuts and peanuts are two common, but separate food allergens. A peanut is a type of legume, such as beans and peas. They don’t necessarily have the same health properties as tree nuts.  Classifying these nuts can be critical for people who have severe allergies.”

According to FARE, 33 million Americans have life-threatening food allergies, including one out of every 13 children. Peanut allergies are the most common food allergy in children under age 18 and the third-most common food allergy in adults.

“Hopefully we can get to the root cause of why food allergies are on the rise and come up with a device for early detection of a severe anaphylactic reaction and eventually find a cure,” said Patty. “Not much has changed in my opinion in the 20 years our family has dealt with food allergies. There needs to be more done on diagnosis, early detection of an anaphylactic reaction, and access.” 

That is what Patty and Timmy’s brothers at Phi Kappa Psi are hoping that funds raised will go to help.

According to his family, joining Phi Kappa Psi enabled Timmy to form some of the closest friendships of his life.

“Timmy had an infectious smile, but he could be quiet and shy,” said Patty. “Joining the fraternity helped him develop friendships. He loved hanging out with his frat brothers. He was authentic and genuine. When he spoke, people listened. He enjoyed having raw, authentic conversations.”

Timmy also loved sports, trips to the beach, watching movies, listening to music, and dancing when around his friends. His peers fondly recall the fun times they had together, but Timmy’s thoughtful nature made a particular impression upon them.

“Timmy spoke so highly of his family, which is something you don’t always hear from guys our age,” said Jake Mullen, a Warwick resident who is completing a bachelor’s degree in economics at URI. “When we met his family, they already knew who we were from the stories Timmy told them. That showed the type of person he was.”

Fraternity brother Jake Reda recollected a long, meaningful conversation he had with Timmy a week before graduation.

“He told me how he learned so much about himself throughout college and he’s finally content with who he is,” said Reda. “He was very excited about an internship he was going to do this summer. We talked about when we’d see each other after graduation and our upcoming plans. What stuck with me the most was that he wasn’t scared for the future, he was excited. He thanked the people he was close with for helping him find himself throughout college. Timmy will always be in my heart for as long as I live.”

In life, Timmy gave his heart to everyone. After his passing, his heart was given to save the life of a teenage boy. Along with his heart, his pancreas and two kidneys were donated to New England Donor Services to save the lives of others.

The FARE fundraiser will conclude soon, but the Howard family will establish a charitable gift foundation in Timmy’s name to continue his legacy of giving and to prevent other families from going through the same thing. 

To make a donation to the fundraiser in memory of Timmy Howard visit Give a Hand. To learn more about food allergies and what you can do to raise awareness, visit FARE at: foodallergy.org.