A beloved NICU nurse died suddenly and unexpectedly on Christmas Eve.
Ashley Denness, 34, was a neonatal intensive care unit nurse who worked at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, Australia.
According to the reports, the young woman collapsed on the morning before Christmas while enjoying the holidays with her partner and in-laws in the Whitsunday islands off Queensland.
Initial investigation suggests that Ashley suffered some kind of a seizure shortly after going crab-catching with her family.
While in the ambulance on the way to Proserpine Hospital in Mackay, the 34-year-old suffered another seizure. She could not be saved despite the best efforts of the paramedics and the hospital staff.
“She had just told me what a great year it’s been and I know she didn’t want to die. I hear her calling ‘Mum’ when I try to go to sleep which isn’t much these days,” Ashley’s devastated mom, Debbie Negru, told Daily Mail Australia after the tragedy.
“The sparkle has just been taken out of our lives and we still cannot comprehend this.”
Meanwhile, Ashley’s best friend Samantha Bozinovska remembered her “special” friend’s “irreplaceable personality, charm, wit, empathy, and caring soul” as she revealed being a nurse and taking care of other people was her dream job.
“Ash was a cherished daughter, loving sister and sister-in-law, adored life long partner, fun auntie, trusted friend, an incredible nurse and colleague as well as a loving mum to her fur babies,” she said in her tribute.
“She embodied everything you ever needed and wanted in a person. She made everything feel so effortless and just like home. Ash was that sparkle in every room. She just had that presence about her. An aura that she gave off. You knew she was the epitome of kindness.”
Our thoughts remain with Ashley’s loved ones during this challenging time.