Dominique Brown, an influencer known as a Disney theme park enthusiast and collector, died after reportedly experiencing an allergic reaction at a holiday food event hosted by BoxLunch on Thursday, Dec. 5. She was 34.
At the event at Vibiana in Los Angeles, Brown reportedly consumed something after event staff told her that it did not contain an ingredient she was allergic to, according to reports on Yahoo! News and Daily Mail.
One person claiming to know her on X (formerly Twitter) wrote that Brown “instantly felt bad” and asked to be taken to a hospital.
“She was my mom’s best friend of 10 years. She asked if there was peanuts in the food and everyone told her no. When she instantly felt bad she asked someone to take her to the hospital,” X user @hideyagrannies wrote.
“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 on Thursday in Los Angeles,” a BoxLunch representative told PEOPLE in a statement on Saturday, Dec. 7. “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.”
Brown’s brother Patrick Ramos reacted to her death in a comment posted on her final Instagram post, thanking her fans for their support.
“Hi everyone, this is @pramos313 – Dominique’s brother,” Ramos commented on Friday, Dec. 6. “I wanted to take 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. ❤️🥺.”
According to Brown’s Instagram account (her screenname is HellooDomo), Brown was a resident of Long Beach, Calif., and a Disney enthusiast who was fond of theme parks and collectibles.
On Nov. 27, she posted a photo of herself attending a Moana 2 screening.
She is also known for co-creating BlackGirlDisney with Mia Von after noticing a lack of representation in the Disney-influencer space. Their mission was to create a welcoming community for women of color who love the brand’s films and theme parks.
“Thank you Dominique for bringing the Black Girl Disney community together. You are such a light, that anyone can feel through the screen or in person,” a follower commented on her last Instagram post.
Another commented, “I’ve just been sitting here thinking of what to say because I can’t process that you aren’t here. Thank you for creating and holding space for all of Black Disney girls. I hope you know you that you are so deeply loved and will be profoundly missed. Love you so so much.”