Photos: Alpha-gal syndrome in Missouri
Jack Overcast, 5, plays in front of artwork featuring beef cattle, a nod to his father’s previous cattle farm business, on Thursday, March 19, 2026, in the kitchen of his home in Ava, Mo. Since Jack, two of his sisters and his mother have been diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome, which causes an allergic reaction to eating red meat, his father, state Rep. Matthew Overcast, R-Ava, no longer raises cattle, opting to raise emu as a suitable protein source for his family.
Adalynn, 9, left, and Lyla Overcast, 12, feed strawberry tops to emu on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at her family’s backyard farm in Ava, Mo. Lyla was diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome in June 2024. For the second straight year, their father lawmaker Matthew Overcast has proposed a measure, House Bill 1855, that would require the state health department to start tracking alpha-gal cases.
“This is Bebe. She was our very first emu,” said Jessica Overcast, who hugs Bebe alongside her daughter Lyla, 12, on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at her family’s backyard farm in Ava, Mo. Both Jessica and her daughter have alpha-gal syndrome.
Jack Overcast, 5, feeds a baby emu on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at his family’s backyard farm in Ava, Mo. Jack, his two sisters and mom, all have been diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome.
Adalynn, 9, left, and Lyla Overcast, 12, feed strawberry tops to emu on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at her family’s backyard farm in Ava, Mo. Lyla was diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome in June 2024. For the second straight year, their father lawmaker Matthew Overcast has proposed a measure, House Bill 1855, that would require the state health department to start tracking alpha-gal cases.
Jack Overcast, 5, feeds a baby emu on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at his family’s backyard farm in Ava, Mo. Jack, his two sisters and mom, all have been diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome.
Missouri state Rep. Matthew Overcast, R-Ava, enters his family’s backyard emu farm Thursday, March 19, 2026, at his home in Ava. Since three of his children and wife have been diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome, which causes an allergic reaction to eating red meat, Overcast no longer raises cattle, opting to raise emu as a suitable protein source for his family.
Lyla Overcast, 12, feeds strawberry tops to emu on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at her family’s backyard farm in Ava, Mo. Lyla was diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome in June 2024. For the second straight year, her father, Republican state Rep. Matthew Overcast, has proposed a measure that would require the state health department to start tracking alpha-gal cases.
Lyla Overcast, 12, feeds strawberry tops to emu on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at her family’s backyard farm in Ava, Mo. Lyla was diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome in June 2024. For the second straight year, her father lawmaker Matthew Overcast has proposed a measure, House Bill 1855, that would require the state health department to start tracking alpha-gal cases.
Lyla Overcast, 12, plays with a baby emu on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at her family’s backyard farm in Ava, Mo. Lyla was diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome in June 2024.
Most Popular
The St. Louis County Greek Fest opened on Friday. The festival features food, live music, dancing, and church tours. Organizers expect more th…
The combined local service academy alumni chapters and area veterans organizations held their 26th annual POW/MIA wreath-laying and remembranc…
The St. Louis Cardinals pitching took another lashing as the Pittsburgh Pirates win 6-2 at Busch Stadium.
Read through the obituaries published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Louis City SC hosts Austin FC in afternoon match at Energizer Park, the last before the World Cup break.
Read through the obituaries published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Read through the obituaries published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
Read through the obituaries published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The Cardinals offense stalls leaving runners on base as Pirates shut them out 7-0 on Wednesday night at Busch Stadium.
Read through the obituaries published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
