Disney Influencer Dies After Severe Allergic Reaction: Dominique Brown Was 34

The Disney community is mourning a major loss. Dominique Brown, who boasted over 18,000 followers on Instagram for her Black Girl Disney content, has died at the age of 34. The California native was at a holiday event on Dec. 5 sponsored by BoxLunch, a retailer that carries tons of Disney merchandise, when she ate something that included an ingredient she was allergic to and suffered a heartbreaking medical emergency, according to Yahoo News. Sources say she allegedly notified the company of her allergens weeks prior and asked before consuming the food if it contained the allergen, and was reportedly told no. 

“We are devastated by the passing of Dominique Brown, a beloved member of the BoxLunch Collective, who suffered a medical emergency at an event hosted by BoxLunch Thursday in Los Angeles,” BoxLunch told Us Weekly in a statement. “Our hearts go out to her family and friends, and we will do everything we can to support them and the members of the BoxLunch Collective and our team during this painful time.”

A source tells the publication that 911 was called immediately. In the aftermath of the tragedy, BoxLunch is offering grief counseling for both staffers and the BoxLunch Collective (a group of influencers). The company is also conducting an independent investigation into the incident.

Brown was a longtime Disney fan who co-created Black Girl Disney in 2018 with Mia Von after noticing a lack of representation in the Disney influencer space. Her content promoted the parks for people of color.

Her brother commented on her Instagram post to thank her fans on December 6. “Hi everyone, this is @pramos313. I wanted to take a a moment to say thank you to her social media fam for showing her so much love and light. Disney did bring her joy, but it was unparalleled that she found a community who loved her and Disney as much as she did. I will miss my sister and best friend and that infectious smile she always had. Thank you, truly, from the bottom of my heart,” he wrote.