The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Tributes pour in to mother with ‘a heart of gold’
Tragedy: Fundraising page has amassed £25,000
A north-east mum has been remembered for her “heart of gold” following her death from a brain haemorrhage at the age of 30.
Jakki Houston, from Peterhead, devoted much of her life to her daughter and it was 12-year-old Megan who raised the alarm after finding her mum at home earlier this month.
Ms Houston was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, but died two days later on June 3. A fundraising page set up in her memory has since amassed £25,000 to cover burial costs and help provide for Megan.
Ms Houston worked two jobs to make sure her daughter was well looked after, juggling her role as a supervisor at Sustainable Seafoods in Peterhead with shifts as a bouncer at the town’s Deja Vu nightclub.
Her heartbroken mum, Margaret Houston, said her daughter “lit up everybody’s life” from the day she was born.
She said: “She was so down to earth.
“She went out of her way to help anybody who needed it, she would be the first person there. She had a heart of gold and she was one of the best. She touched everyone’s hearts.”
The 60-year-old has many fond memories of her daughter but her favourite comes from a holiday in Turkey when Ms Houston embraced the local practice of haggling for a bargain.
She said: “Jakki would haggle in every shop we went into and always got the items she wanted at the price she asked for.”
The former Peterhead Academy pupil has also been remembered for being “very hard-working”.
Manager of Deja Vu, Nadine O’Rourke, said: “I don’t think anyone can begin to understand the type of person she was.
“She knew everyone and could talk people down before a situation escalated.
“She was a really wellliked person.
“She was fast on her feet, very professional and good at her job.
“She had a great rapport with customers.”
Ms Houston’s mum explained that the fundraiser was set up because her daughter did not have any life insurance.
The original target was £1,000 but within 20 minutes it reached £5,000.
Ms Houston also leaves behind her brother Craig, step-brothers Blue and Junior and her dad, James Houston.