The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Devastated family’s emotional tribute to ‘caring and compassionate’ Shannon
LEGACY: Young nurse passed away hours after giving birth to her first child
The family of Shannon Napier, the young NHS nurse who passed away just hours after giving birth to her first child, say the world has lost a beautiful and caring person who lit up lives.
Shannon’s mum, Tracy De Munck Mortier, fought back tears as she made the emotional tribute while cuddling four-day-old baby granddaughter Abbie.
Speaking at her home in Kirkcaldy, Tracy said: “Shannon was my best friend as well as my daughter, I’m going to be lost without her. I’m still in shock.”
She said Shannon had been born to look after people and, from a young age, had shown care and compassion for her siblings. Her role as a theatre nurse at Dunfermline’s Queen Margaret Hospital made the whole family proud.
Shannon’s fiancé, Jordan Burt, said it had been “love at first sight” when the couple met on April 25 2009.
“From passing her driving test to going to university, to becoming a mum, she achieved all of the goals she set herself. You could not have been more proud of how Shannon went about life.”
Jordan said he had been overwhelmed by donations and messages of kindness following Shannon’s death.
A Gofundme page set up by former university friends and fellow nurses has reached almost £16,000 since it was created three days ago.
“Those donations, tributes and love we’ve received show just what kind of person Shannon was,” Jordan said.
“Shannon’s legacy is her beautiful daughter Abbie.”
The findings of a post mortem examination into the cause of Shannon’s death are yet to be published, but it is understood the 24-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest and other complications shortly after giving birth.
Despite the best efforts of medical staff, Shannon passed away in the early hours of Saturday morning.