2025-08-20T10:47:14Z

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Imagine waking up in the middle of the night, not from a bad dream, but from the horrifying realization that the meal you enjoyed hours ago has turned your body into a battleground. This is the brutal reality for Andrew Keenan, who experienced a rare and life-altering allergic reaction after indulging in a long-awaited steak dinner on Martha's Vineyard.

In September 2020, when the world was grappling with the pandemic, Keenan, a former chef, had been yearning for a proper cut of beef. After months of scarcity due to supply chain disruptions, he finally spotted a pack of skirt steak at his local grocery store. With excitement bubbling over, he marinated it in garlic vinegar and cooked it to juicy perfection, ready to savor a meal with his wife and daughter. Little did he know, this delightful feast would lead to a terrifying ordeal.

“I woke up at 2 a.m. with major stomach cramps,” Keenan recounted. “I thought I had food poisoning.” But this was far worse; hours later, he found himself covered in hives and unable to get out of bed without feeling faint. What he faced was anaphylactic shock, a severe allergic reaction that can be life-threatening.

After a rushed trip to the hospital and days of testing, the diagnosis came: alpha-gal syndrome. This rare condition, triggered by a bite from the lone star tick, left him with a life-altering allergy to red meat and most dairy products, essentially turning him into a vegan against his will.

And Keenan isn’t alone. Hundreds of residents on Martha’s Vineyard are navigating this strange new normal, where the once idyllic island has transformed into a vegan haven—not out of choice, but necessity. The lone star tick, which was first identified in the area in 1985, has proliferated, feeding off the island's burgeoning deer population. This situation has led to a staggering increase in alpha-gal diagnoses; in just one year, 523 new cases were recorded, up from a mere two positive tests just a few years prior.

For those afflicted, this means a life riddled with caution, where every meal becomes a gamble. Alpha-gal is a sugar molecule found in all mammals except humans and certain monkeys, making cheese, milk, and meats off-limits. You might even find that some processed foods are unsafe because they could contain ingredients derived from mammals, such as sugar processed with animal bone char. The symptoms can include hives, stomach cramps, and vomiting—often presenting several hours after eating, which has earned the syndrome the nickname “the midnight allergy.”

To adapt, local restaurants have embraced this alarming trend, introducing “alpha-gal-friendly” menu options. Grocery stores are seeing a surge in plant-based products as the community rallies around those affected. “I’m on a Martha’s Vineyard Facebook group, and it’s a constant conversation,” said Megan DeLisle, general manager of the Black Dog restaurant. Patrons are now keen to know if their meals are safe, demonstrating just how deeply this allergy has impacted the social fabric of the island.

Kate Sudarsky, a young teacher diagnosed with alpha-gal in 2021, shares a similar story. While she hasn’t experienced an anaphylactic reaction, the condition has changed her social life dramatically. She finds herself avoiding gatherings where the risk of cross-contamination is high, unable to partake in the simple joys of sharing food with friends.

Despite the growing awareness of alpha-gal syndrome, many healthcare providers remain uninformed about it, even just a short distance from Martha’s Vineyard. Keenan’s experience at a dental office across the water starkly illustrated this gap in knowledge, as he discovered that even professionals seven miles away had never heard of his condition. “They were taking pictures. I was a case study,” he chuckled, though the reality is far from humorous.

The island's deer population, a key factor contributing to the uptick in ticks, has become a point of concern. With estimates ranging from 55 to 75 deer per square mile—well above the healthy ecosystem ratio—locals are calling for a reevaluation of deer management practices to mitigate the risk of further tick-borne illnesses.

Though there’s currently no cure for alpha-gal syndrome, there's hope that over time, some individuals may gradually reintroduce certain foods into their diets. However, for many like Keenan, the experience remains a haunting memory. “I can remember it like it was the last steak I ever had,” he reflects. As this island navigates the complexities of a rising health concern, it’s a stark reminder of how quickly life can change with a single tick bite.