The Love for Giovanni Foundation page

10/02/2026

**Content Note: **
This post contains a detailed and deeply personal account of my son Giovanni’s fatal anaphylactic reaction, his medical emergency and the grief surrounding his loss. Please read with care, particularly if you have experienced anaphylaxis, medical trauma or the loss of a child.

13 YEARS AGO TODAY, EVERYTHING CHANGED❤️

October 1, 2013 was the day Giovanni had the allergic reaction that would ultimately take his life.

And today, exactly 13 years later, while going through old emails and attachments, I found something I had completely forgotten about—the very first letter I wrote telling Giovanni’s story, written only about two months after we lost him.

Reading my own words from that time brought back so much I had forgotten. The brain has a funny way of forgetting traumatic events.

It also reminded me just how much I didn’t know then about food allergies and anaphylaxis—and how much of what I believed I was doing right was based on the information I had been given.

So today, I’m sharing something new.

I created a blog where I can tell more of Giovanni’s story, talk openly about grief and healing, share what I’ve learned about food allergies and anaphylaxis, and tell the stories behind the advocacy and work that came afterward.

This is my first post:

“Thirteen Years Later, I Found the Letter I Wrote After Losing Giovanni.”

It may be one of the hardest things I’ve ever written. But it felt like the right story to begin with—and the right day to tell it.

Because anaphylaxis is how Giovanni died. It is not who Giovanni was.

I hope you’ll take a few minutes to read it, share it, and help me continue turning what I’ve learned into information that may help another family.

❤️ For Giovanni. Always.

EPI FIRST, EPI EVERYWHERE™ — A LOVE FOR GIOVANNI FOUNDATION | GIO’S LAW INITIATIVE

👇 Read the full story here:

On October 1st, I was doing something completely ordinary—cleaning out old emails and attachments that had been taking up space for years. And then I found a letter. Not just any letter. It was the…

09/30/2026

Yes — I’d put that acknowledgment right before the “Read below” CTA so it lands strongly. Here’s the updated full post:

🚨 EXCITING NEWS! Could this be the beginning of positive change? ✈️💛

Delta Air Lines and Allegiant Air are adding epinephrine auto-injectors to their onboard emergency medical kits!

Delta says the rollout across its fleet will continue over the next year, so availability may vary by aircraft during that time. Allegiant is also phasing them in, although a rollout schedule has not yet been announced.

This is a meaningful and potentially lifesaving step forward for airline passengers.

Anaphylaxis can happen to anyone — including someone with no previous history of a severe allergic reaction. And when anaphylaxis happens at 30,000 feet, access to epinephrine cannot wait until a plane lands.

For those already diagnosed with food allergies, carrying your own epinephrine remains essential — but severe reactions can require additional doses, devices can be lost or inaccessible, and emergencies can happen to passengers who never knew they were at risk.

Epinephrine saves lives — but only when it is available when and where it is needed.

We have been advocating for stronger access to epinephrine in airline emergency medical kits, and seeing individual airlines begin to make this change gives me hope that this could be the beginning of something much bigger.

👏 Thank you to Delta and Allegiant for taking this important step. Now let’s hope more airlines follow — and that someday having readily accessible epinephrine onboard is simply the standard, not the exception.

💛 A special thank you to Lianne Mandelbaum and Gwen Smith of Allergic Living for your ongoing work and advocacy to help make air travel safer for the food allergy community. Your continued efforts to bring attention to this critical issue are helping move the conversation — and change — forward.

👇 Read the full update from Allergic Living below.

🩵EPI FIRST, EPI EVERYWHERE™
A LOVE FOR GIOVANNI FOUNDATION | GIO’S LAW INITIATIVE

Breaking news: Delta Air Lines and Allegiant Air are moving to stock epinephrine auto-injectors in their emergency medical kits (EMKs). Lianne Mandelbaum and Gwen Smith get the scoop. They discuss the good safety news against the context of escalating criticism of the FAA's lack of requirement for modern epinephrine devices on U.S. planes.
On the FAA's proposed rule on EMK contents, the American Medical Association also weighs in with its expert concerns. Don't miss this report! https://www.allergicliving.com/2026/09/28/delta-allegiant-add-epi-injectors-to-medical-kits-to-step-up-safety/

No Nut Traveler Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) Food Allergy Research & Education The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team, FAACT Senator Tammy Duckworth American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Zachary Rubin, MD Food Allergy Nursing Association - FANA NNMG Food Allergic Families

09/26/2026

If you’ve ever wondered WHY we say EPI FIRST. EPI FAST. — watch this. 👀

THIS is what epinephrine does during anaphylaxis. 💉

This is one of the clearest visual explanations I’ve seen of how epinephrine works inside the body during anaphylaxis.

When anaphylaxis begins, blood pressure can drop, airways can tighten, swelling can develop, and the reaction can progress rapidly.

Epinephrine works to fight those life-threatening effects. It constricts blood vessels to help raise blood pressure and reduce swelling, while relaxing the muscles around the airways to help improve breathing.

This is why we cannot wait for anaphylaxis to “get bad enough.”
This is why antihistamines are not a substitute for epinephrine.
And this is why delaying epinephrine can be dangerous.

Recognize anaphylaxis. Give epinephrine. Call 911.

Watch it. Save it. SHARE IT.
Someone who sees this today may understand why acting quickly matters when they need it most.

EPI FIRST. EPI FAST. EVERY SECOND COUNTS.™

EPI FIRST, EPI EVERYWHERE™ | A Love for Giovanni Foundation | Gio’s Law Initiative

09/19/2026

💙 FOOD ALLERGY SAFETY IS A GLOBAL ISSUE.

Our Fight Is International.
Different countries. Different families. The same fears. The same fight to keep our children safe.

This powerful message from Kate Nicholl, a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, highlights the heartbreaking realities faced by families living with food allergies.

She speaks about the tragic loss of 17-year-old Jane McVeigh and the daily challenges faced by parents who must constantly advocate for their children’s safety.

Although this conversation is taking place in Northern Ireland, the issues she raises are the very same ones we face here in the United States and around the world.

It is important to remember that food allergies are not limited to peanuts or the Top 9 major food allergens. ANY food can trigger anaphylaxis. Life-threatening allergic reactions can also be caused by insect stings, medications, and other allergens. Anaphylaxis does not discriminate, and awareness, education, and emergency preparedness are essential for everyone, everywhere. 💙

As a mother who lost my son Giovanni to anaphylaxis, her words resonate deeply with me.

For nearly 13 years, I have dedicated my life to advocating for food allergy education, anaphylaxis awareness, and greater access to life-saving epinephrine.

And yet, families everywhere are still fighting to be heard.

Food allergy safety is not just a parent’s responsibility. It is a community responsibility.

Our schools, workplaces, public spaces, transportation systems, and communities must be educated, prepared, and equipped to respond when anaphylaxis strikes.

This is the mission behind The Love for Giovanni Foundation and our EPI FIRST, EPI EVERYWHERE™ — Gio’s Law Initiative.

We are working to create safer communities through education, preparedness, and expanded access to life-saving epinephrine.

But this fight does not stop at state lines or international borders.

Food allergies know no boundaries. Neither should our efforts to protect those living with them.

No parent, anywhere in the world, should have to lose a child before meaningful change happens.

No child should have to miss out on the joys of childhood because the world around them is unprepared.

And no family should have to fight this battle alone.

Thank you, Kate Nicole, for bringing this important conversation forward and recognizing the challenges food allergy families face every day.

And thank you, Tami, for sharing this powerful message with me. 💙

Our mission is local. Our vision is global. Every life matters.

09/17/2026

ANAPHYLAXIS DOES NOT WAIT. NEITHER SHOULD YOU! EPI FIRST!

Anaphylaxis can progress rapidly, and it does not always look the way people expect. There may be no hives. There may be no warning. A reaction can begin with one severe symptom or symptoms affecting more than one body system.

Do not wait for it to get worse. Do not give Benadryl first and “see what happens.” Antihistamines cannot stop anaphylaxis.

Give epinephrine immediately, call 911 and keep the person lying flat with their legs elevated, if possible. If symptoms continue or return, a second dose may be needed in 5–15 minutes.

Hesitation and delayed epinephrine can cost precious time. Epi first. Epi fast.

EPI FIRST, EPI EVERYWHERE™ — A LOVE FOR GIOVANNI FOUNDATION | GIO’S LAW INITIATIVE.

09/16/2026

We are incredibly proud to share this Eagle Scout project from our EPI FIRST, EPI EVERYWHERE™ Teen Ambassador, Joseph Gazzola. 💚

For his Eagle Scout Project, Joseph is working to place food allergy awareness signs in local parks throughout Lynbrook — bringing education and awareness directly into the spaces where children, families, teams, and our community gather every day.

What makes this especially meaningful to us is that Joseph has dedicated his project to Giovanni Cipriano, whose life and legacy continue to inspire young people to turn awareness into action.

This is exactly what we hope to see from our Teen Ambassadors: taking what they have learned, identifying a need in their own community, and doing something that can make a lasting difference.

Please consider supporting Joseph’s Eagle Scout Project by donating or simply sharing his GoFundMe. Every donation helps him bring this important project to life, and any additional funds raised will be donated to The Love for Giovanni Foundation.

We are so proud of you, Joseph, and grateful that you are helping carry Gio’s legacy forward. 💚

EPI FIRST, EPI EVERYWHERE™ — A LOVE FOR GIOVANNI FOUNDATION | GIO’S LAW INITIATIVE



https://www.gofundme.com/f/joseph-gazzolas-eagle-scout-project-62par?attribution_id=sl:54cc9ff9-d00c-424f-98c2-092904c70ca2&lang=en_US&ts=1789326525&utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash&utm_content=amp30-treatment-3&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwRlRTSAUW0IpwZG9mBWZkaWQWUOgaGrtTwpW9j42WlZwjn28iaBNP0WV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR6zcLiGmyfr2ID7CYSAxLRjTznheP5x-EEa5iScVN-dGGGxonkFMPXlyxyQZQ_aem_i9hMKhs4eXiqKSGjgXPHrg

My name is Joseph Gazzola, I'm currently working on completing my Eagle … Debbie Gazzola needs your support for Joseph Gazzola's Eagle Scout Project

09/07/2026

09/03/2026

We’re on Instagram too! 💙
Follow for food allergy education, anaphylaxis awareness, advocacy & more.

09/03/2026

🏫 School is back — and food allergy awareness belongs in the classroom too.

This simple letter is an easy way to let classroom families know that a student has a serious food allergy and gently encourage awareness when sending in snacks, treats or food for celebrations.

Food allergies can cause anaphylaxis, a potentially life-threatening reaction, so making sure families are informed can go a long way toward helping every child feel included and stay safe at school. 💙

It’s not about taking the fun out of classroom celebrations — it’s about awareness, inclusion and working together to help keep every child safe.

Save it. Share it with your child’s teacher or school. And help make food allergy awareness part of the back-to-school conversation.

💙 Want a copy to share with your child's class or school? Comment "LETTER" below and I'll send you all 3 versions!

09/03/2026

ANAPHYLAXIS DOES NOT ALWAYS BEGIN WITH TROUBLE BREATHING!

Signs can include full-body or extensive hives, swelling, vomiting or severe stomach pain, coughing, throat tightness or itching, hoarseness, dizziness, fainting, sudden confusion or even a feeling of impending doom.

When anaphylaxis is suspected, don’t wait—give epinephrine first and call 911. Keep the person lying flat with their legs elevated unless they are vomiting or having difficulty breathing. If symptoms do not improve, a second dose may be needed within 5–15 minutes.

Antihistamines cannot stop anaphylaxis and should never delay epinephrine.

Save this post. Share it. Knowing the signs and acting quickly could help save a life.

This information is for educational purposes and does not replace individualized medical guidance.

EPI FIRST, EPI EVERYWHERE™ — A LOVE FOR GIOVANNI FOUNDATION | GIO’S LAW INITIATIVE.