A Conversation with Trace Adkins
Country music star Trace Adkins is known for his deep baritone voice and a string of number-one hits. He is a member of the prestigious Grand Ole Opry and has sold millions of records. Trace is a regular on a number of television shows and has been featured in dozens of magazines.
To FAAN, he is also known as one of our members and Brianna’s father. Trace and his family participated in the inaugural 2005 FAAN Kids’ Congress on Capitol Hill. He met with his senator and representative and educated them about food allergies.
He was a finalist on NBC’s “The Celebrity Apprentice,” in 2008 raising money for FAAN; and he serves as Honorary Chair of the FAAN Walk for Food Allergy: Moving Toward A Cure events around the country.
We recently spoke to Trace about raising a child with food allergies, and his passion for helping FAAN increase public awareness about food allergies.
Q. How did you learn Brianna had food allergies?
A. When she was 9 months old, she licked the lid of a peanut butter jar; her face immediately got swollen. We had no experience with food allergies; it was terrifying. We later learned she is allergic to several foods including, peanuts, milk, and eggs.
Q. How did learning about her allergies impact your family?
A. It’s been a struggle and a learning process. We are very careful about our food now. We have peanut butter in the house, but it is on the top shelf of the pantry, and none of us wants to eat it. I don’t like to eat what she can’t eat.
Q. How is Brianna coping with having food allergies?
A. She is a mature little girl. It is both amazing and heartbreaking at the same time to see how mindful she’s learned to be about her food allergies. She has had several reactions which required a trip to the hospital, so she knows how careful she has to be. She knows to ask first before eating any food.
Q. Traveling is a big part of your job; what are some of the adjustments you’ve made as a family for Brianna’s food allergies?
A. My family travels with me periodically, and we are very fortunate to be able to have Brianna’s food on our bus, so we know she has safe food. We seldom eat in restaurants, because I always worry that they don’t understand the allergy like we do, or that they won’t be as diligent as they should be. There are a few places we trust, and we tend to stick with them. We talk to the chef in advance, to be sure Brianna doesn’t have a reaction.
Q. How do you manage your daughter’s food allergies on a daily basis?
A. My wife is the world’s best at managing our daughter’s food allergy. It is her mission in life to enable Brianna to have just as normal a childhood as others. We don’t isolate her but are vigilant and watch over her. It’s all about education. We educated the people at the preschool and are now educating the kindergarten staff for next year.
Q. What would you like others to know about food allergies?
A. Be aware that food allergies are serious. We are not talking about a simple rash. Let’s work together to figure out what is causing the increase in food allergy and take care of it.
To learn more about Trace Adkins, visit his website: www.traceadkins.com.
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