Tributes to family following tragedy
A FAMILY’S triple-tragedy has moved complete strangers to tears.
As revealed in yesterday’s Chronicle, grieving mum Ashley Tomlin had died suddenly, just three weeks after losing her little boy Jak Fada.
It is believed the 32-year-old succumbed to the same heart condition that took her 10-year-old son’s life, and that of her grandfather James Tomlin, who died less than 24 hours before Jak.
Ashley’s loved ones are today trying to come to terms with the loss of three beloved family members in the space of less than a month.
And as her parents Keith and Jill, both 59, make preparations for their daughter’s funeral, Chronicle readers have been flooding our Facebook page with messages of support.
Gary Mason said: “I really couldn’t even finish that article, gut-wrenching can’t imagine the hole that has been left in this family with three loses. Heartbreaking.”
And Danielle Sing Key wrote: “Absolutely heartbreaking to read. Hopefully at peace now with her little boy.”
Football-mad Jak died in hospital on November 6, just hours after complaining of chest pains.
Medics told his devastated family the 10-year-old had suffered a ruptured heart artery.
Jak’s death came less than 22 hours after his great-grandfather James Tomlin passed away.
And during the early hours of Monday morning his mum Ashley, from South Shields also lost her life. She is believed to have succumbed to the same deadly condition as her son.
In the weeks following her son’s death, Ashley’s family had feared she would not cope.
But tragically Keith believes his daughter had started to turn a corner in the days before she died.
He said: “I was so worried that she wouldn’t be able to handle it.
“But she was starting to come to terms with it. We were making plans to go on a family holiday, and she was talking about Christmas.
“There were different things that made me think she had turned a corner. Obviously when you lose a child, as I’m finding out now, it’s the worst thing that can happen to you. She was just a wreck. But in the last five or six days I saw a change in her. She was so positive.”
Jak was laid to rest at Harton Cemetery following an emotional funeral service at the home of his beloved South Shields FC, Mariners Park.
Ashley’s funeral will be held at South Shields Crematorium on Thursday, December 14 at 2pm.
Her ashes will then be buried with Jak.
Chronicle readers have also told how reading of the Tomlin’s devastation has moved them to tears.
Leeanne Owens wrote on Facebook: “So sad it’s brought me to tears.”
While Eileen Hogg said: “This is one of the saddest things I’ve ever read and my heart goes out to all the family.”
Susie Woo added: “Crying reading this devastating news.”
And Jade Bell said: “I remember reading the story of this little boy a few weeks ago and I cried and couldn’t sleep for thinking of what his poor Mammy was going through. It is absolutely tragic and I hope they are at peace together.”
Ashley had been staying at her mum Jill’s home on the night she died. Jill called for an ambulance after finding her daughter had collapsed in the bathroom. But nothing could be done to save Ashley’s life, and she died at the home.
A post mortem examination proved inconclusive and the corner has ordered further tests.
But Keith said it is believed Ashley suffered the same heart condition as Jak, and the rest of the family will now undergo tests to see whether it could be hereditary.