LITTLETON, Colo. (CBS4) – A high school community in Littleton is heartbroken after a teenager died on Monday night. His father says he died because of an allergic reaction to peanuts. 
 
 Chatfield High School brought in extra counselors to help students cope with the loss of 16-year-old Simon Katz, who was rushed to the hospital after eating s’mores containing peanuts at school. 
 
 Simon Katz’s father, David Katz, told CBS4’s Shaun Boyd one of Simon’s favorite treats was s’mores. But the one he ate in the Chatfield High parking lot at a homecoming event was made with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and it caused him to go into anaphylactic shock. 
 
 David Katz said Simon had a severe peanut allergy and carried an EpiPen in his car, but he was driven to the school by friends. 
 
 Jefferson County Schools says there was an emergency medical technician at the homecoming event but Katz’s friends took him home when he began vomiting. His father said he rushed him to a nearby emergency room, giving him shots with his EpiPen as he drove and giving him CPR in the parking lot of the hospital. 
 
 Parmedics took Katz to St. Anthony Hospital where he was pronounced dead. 
 
 Among many Facebook posts was one from a band Katz played in. It said, “We are absolutely heartbroken … this band would be nothing without you and you made it what it is.” 
 
 CBS4’s Stan Bush spoke with his band members, Alex Sutton and Elias Williamson, about the loss. 
 
 “He was the most high energy person I’ve ever met … he had a stage presence,” Sutton said. 
 
 “It’s really hard dealing with knowing that a wonderful person can go for something that’s as little as a peanut allergy,” Williamson said. “He’s just such a different person … people from all over the country said there is something about him … and there is something that inspired me about that kid.” 
 
 One expert told CBS4 while food allergy deaths are rare, teenagers are at highest risk. 
 
 “Teenagers are absolutely a higher risk for death from their food allergies. That can be for a couple of reasons. Certainly one of those we think is because they get a little less careful, so they’re not as good about asking what might be in a food; they sometimes take a few more risks and try things that they shouldn’t be eating,” Dr. BJ Lanser with National Jewish Health said. “And they are also less likely to carry their epinephrine.” 
 
 More than 3 million people in the United States have some form of nut allergy and the prevalence of food allergies in children went up 18 percent between 1997 and 2007. About 200 people a year die from food allergies. 
 
 The Jefferson County Coroner is doing an autopsy to determine if anything else played a role in Katz’s death. 
 
 Chatfield High will hold a moment of silence in Katz’s honor at the upcoming homecoming football game. 
 
 His peanut allergy kept Katz from touring with his band over the summer. He had also laid down tracks for an entire album. His band says they’ll work to finish it in his memory. 

 Simon Katz had an allergic reaction and went into anaphylaxis shock 
 
 Simon Katz (Facebook) 
 
 Simon Katz had no idea that the s'more passed to him Monday night at a Chatfield High School homecoming bonfire was made with peanut butter. 
 
 The 16-year-old junior, who was allergic to peanuts, took a bite, became ill, went into anaphylactic shock and died, his father, David, said Wednesday. 
 
 Simon had mistakenly eaten peanuts in the past, his father said in a phone interview, but "those incidents ended with an emergency room visit, some epinephrine and he was good to go." 
 
 Simon became sick after eating the s'more, and his friends drove him home to get medicine. 
 
 "I put him in my car," David Katz said, "and tried to get him to urgent care." 
 
 The teenager went into shock during the six-minute drive, his father said, adding that he was administering epinephrine injections to Simon during the drive. 
 
 When they arrived at the urgent-care facility, his father gave him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in the parking lot before personnel from the facility came out. 
 
 Chatfield is in the Jefferson County School District, which has no districtwide rules restricting peanuts at school events, said district spokeswoman Michelle Balch Lyng. 
 
 "At the end of the day, peanut rules in our experience in schools are pretty lax," David Katz said. "School districts don't want to tell people they can't bring that in." 
 
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 Simon's mother, Kyna Saam Katz, said on her Facebook page that she has tried to persuade school officials to make schools peanut-free since her son was in preschool. 
 
 "Oh, my God, if everyone could learn what anaphylaxis means with any severe allergy, it can be vomiting one second and shock the next. If you ever see this, call 911 immediately," she said on her post. 
 
 Simon was a bass player in the band Boats Without Oars. 
 
 "We are absolutely heartbroken. Our bassist, Simon Katz, passed away last night from anaphylactic shock," the band said Tuesday on its Facebook page. "Simon, you were the most charismatic and amazing kid. You made every show we ever played special. This band would be nothing without you and you made this what it is." 
 
 Simon recently had become interested in theater programs, his father said. "That was the center of his life. He was a happy-go-lucky kid, self-confident, he liked to be funny, a class clown, a goofball." 
 
 He planned to go to college in Chicago and major in theater and music, his mother said. "He was a great entertainer." 
 
 The Jefferson County medical examiner's office has completed an autopsy but is not ready to release a final report on the death, said Stacy Salmon, a coroner investigator. 
 
 Crisis-response teams are at Chatfield to help students, staffers and the community during this time, Lyng said. 
 
 Students at the school are distributing ribbons of Simon's favorite color, yellow, and the school will hold a moment of silence at its homecoming football game Friday night, Lyng said. 
 
 A private memorial service is planned for 1 p.m. Thursday. 
 
 Tom McGhee: 303-954-1671, tmcghee@denverpost.com or @dpmcghee 
 
 This story has been updated to relfect that the memorial service planned for 1 p.m. Thursday is private, and not open to the public. 
 
 

 JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. - A 16-year-old Chatfield Senior High School student who was allergic to peanuts died after taking a bite from a s'more -- unaware it contained peanut butter -- at a homecoming bonfire on Monday night, family and friends say. 
 
 After Simon Katz became ill, friends drove him home, the boy's father, David Katz, told our partners at The Denver Post on Wednesday. 
 
 The teen went into anaphylactic shock as his father drove him to an urgent care clinic. David Katz was administering epinephrine injections to Simon during the six-minute drive, the Post reported. 
 
 When they arrived at the urgent care clinic, his father said he gave Simon mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in the parking lot before medical staff came out. 
 
 Jefferson County Chief Deputy Coroner Dan Pruett said Simon was rushed to St. Anthony Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:33 p.m. 
 
 The coroner is investigating whether Simon died from anaphylactic shock after ingesting peanuts, Pruett said. It will take about a month for the results of toxicology test results to determine Simon's cause of death, Pruett said. 
 
 Jefferson County School District board policy states, "Reasonable accommodations shall be made to reduce the student’s exposure to agents that may cause anaphylaxis within the school environment." 
 
 The policy directs the school nurse and administrators to develop "emergency anaphylaxis treatment training" so they can aid students with food allergies. "Emergency medications for treatment of the student’s food allergies or anaphylaxis shall be kept in a secure location accessible to designated school staff," the policy says. 
 
 "At the end of the day, peanut rules in our experience in schools are pretty lax," David Katz told the Post. "School districts don't want to tell people they can't bring that in." 
 
 Simon's mother, Kyna Saam Katz, said on her Facebook page that she has urged school officials to make schools peanut-free since Simon was in preschool. 
 
 "Oh my God, if everyone could learn what anaphylaxis means with any severe allergy, it can be vomiting one second and shock the next. If you ever see this, call 911 immediately," she wrote on Facebook. 
 
 The district issued this statement Wednesday: 
 
 "As before, we want to extend our deepest sympathies to Simon Katz’s family and friends. This event, open to the Chatfield community, was part of Chatfield High School’s homecoming celebration. The event took place in the parking lot of Chatfield and the bonfire was overseen by the Warren Tech fire sciences department including those trained in extinguishing fires and emergency medicine. We understand that food was provided to the attendees from a number of sources, including approximately several food trucks. "Students are distributing yellow ribbons (Simon’s favorite color) and the school will hold a moment of silence at its homecoming football game Friday night. "Again, our top priority is providing support for our students, staff, and Chatfield community as they grieve." 
 
 The district has launched their crisis response team and counselors are available for students and teachers. 
 
 Friends are mourning the loss of Simon, a well-liked student who played bass in the band Boats Without Oars. Band members expressed grief on their Facebook page Tuesday night. 
 
 "I've rewritten this post so many times because there are no words to describe what we're feeling right now. We are absolutely heartbroken. Our bassist, Simon Katz, passed away last night from anaphylactic shock," the Boats Without Oars Facebook post said. "Simon, you were the most charismatic and amazing kid. You made every show we ever played special.This band would be nothing without you and you made this what it is." 
 
 "We are going to finish the LP that we were working on for Simon and from that point on we have to discuss whether this project is going to continue. His bass tracks will be on the record. Please send love and support to Simon's family. We love you buddy," the post ended. 
 
 Elias Williamson, a close friend and bandmate of Simon, told 7NEWS said the teen didn't go on the band's tour last summer because his parents were worried his risk of being exposed to peanuts would increase while they were traveling. 
 
 The drummer said he'd never met anyone like Simon, who was a driving force in the band's live shows. 
 
 "He's such a unique personality, such a unique sense of humor, and such a unique musician too," Williamson told 7NEWS reporter Jennifer Kovaleski. "He was so funny, he was constantly joking." 
 
 "I don't know if we're going to be able to live shows without him," Wiliamson said. "Our band was him. He was our live show. He was what people remembered as Boats Without Oars, he was the basest with the giant pedal board that hopped on the amps. He was the one who pulled drum sticks out of the ceiling and jumped into the audience." 
 
 The charismatic teen was a magnet -- always attracting new friends and new fans to the band 
 
 "He had so many friends and so many people close to him and made a difference in so many people's lives," the drummer said. 
 
 The School of Rock Denver is also grieving the passing of the young musician. 
 
 "It is with great sadness that we learned today of the passing of Simon Katz, a former bassist and vocalist here at School of Rock Denver," the youth rock music program posted on its Facebook page Tuesday under the heading: "Travel well Simon." 
 
 "He will be greatly missed by our staff and students who remember him as a great friend, performer and student. We wish all the best to his family and friends during this difficult time," the School of Rock Denver said. 
 
 A memorial service is planned for 1 p.m. Thursday in Littleton. 
 
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– One of Simon Katz's favorite treats was a s'more, which is probably why he dove into the dessert without hesitation in the parking lot of his Colorado school during a homecoming bonfire on Monday. The decision cost him his life. Simon, who had a severe peanut allergy, had no idea the s'more was made with a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. Though the 16-year-old carried an EpiPen in his car, he had been driven to the Chatfield High School event by friends, who took him home when he started to vomit, reports CBS Denver. Simon's father tells the Denver Post previous incidents involving peanuts had "ended with an emergency room visit, some epinephrine, and he was good to go." But Simon went into anaphylactic shock during the six-minute drive to an urgent-care facility, despite EpiPen shots along the way. His dad tried CPR in the parking lot, but Simon was pronounced dead soon after. Friends of Simon, who played bass in the band Boats Without Oars, say they're heartbroken. "Simon, you were the most charismatic and amazing kid. You made every show we ever played special," his bandmates wrote on Facebook. The teens say Simon had recorded tracks for an album, which they plan to finish in his honor. An expert notes teens face the highest risk of death from food allergies because they tend to be less cautious and "less likely to carry their epinephrine." Simon's mom says she has long-advocated that schools be made peanut-free; "peanut rules in our experience in schools are pretty lax," his dad says. The school district tells 7News that event food came "from a number of sources," including food trucks. (This college student also lost his life to a peanut allergy.)