Family’s agony at death of mum, 25
Tragedy victim leaves three young sons
“No child should have to grow up without a mum”
AFAMILY have told of their heartbreak following the shock death of a muchloved 25-year-old mum-of-three.
A fundraising campaign has been set up for Claire-Louise Brierley’s children after she collapsed on Friday at her mum’s home in Rochdale while getting ready for a night out to celebrate her brother’s 30th birthday.
She was rushed to hospital, but tragically pronounced dead a short while later.
Claire, a single mum leaves behind three sons, Oliver, six, Oscar, two, and Jacob, eight months.
She suffered from Behçet’s disease – a rare and poorly understood condition that causes the inflammation of blood vessels and tissues.
Following Jacob’s birth doctors also discovered Claire had blood clots on her lungs and diagnosed her with pulmonary hypertension.
Claire, a former Matthew Moss High School pupil, was scheduled to have an operation to remove the most seriously-affected lung and possibly replace it with an artificial implant next month.
Her illness, though serious, wasn’t thought to be life-threatening and Claire’s family say her death came as a complete shock. It is still unclear what caused her death.
Friends have now launched an emotional appeal for help to set up a trust fund for her three young boys.
Claire’s grandma Joan Williams said: “It just happened so suddenly.
“We all thought she was getting better, her condition was improving.
“No-one thought her condition was life-threatening.
“She had everything to look forward to. The day before she died she found out she’d been accepted for a new flat, the two youngest kids had just got into nursery. She was so happy. I don’t think it’s hit us yet. We have had so many people coming round, I don’t think we’ve had time to grieve.
“Jacob and Oscar are too young to understand, but Oscar keeps pointing at the picture of his mum over the fireplace – I think he realises she’s not here any more.
“But Oliver is taking it really badly. We have told him his mum is now a star in the sky. He goes out every night to look up at her.”
Family friends Caroline Sullivan and Michelle Hartley have launched a fundraising campaign on crowdfunding website JustGiving to set up trust fund for Claire’s three sons.
Caroline said: “Everything Claire did she did for her boys.
“She was so positive and stayed strong for the boys. They were always her priority.
“It has come as such a shock. There was no doubt in anybody’s mind that she would beat it – and certainly none in Claire’s mind.
“She was an amazing mum and a really happy and out-going person.
“You only have to read some of the comments that people have been posting on Facebook and the JustGiving page to know that she was a special person.
“We were blessed to have known her.
“No child should have to grow up without a mum, so we just want to raise as much as possible to help the boys out.”
Friends have also been leaving tributes to Claire on the JustGiving page.
Zena Akhtar wrote: “Safe in the arms of the angels, rip Claire xx”, while Chelsea Moran said: “My heart breaks for her family and those 3 gorgeous babies, RIP xxxxxx.”
To donate to the fund visit justgiving.com/ crowdfunding/in-lovingmemory-of-claire-louisebrierley?utm_id=92.
Friends and family are also planning a number of other fundraising events, with details to be confirmed soon.