Helen Rhodes was a midwife by profession and was moving back to the UK after spending nearly two decades working in Hong Kong.
Times are uncertain and so are our lives. A tragedy unfolded on a flight from Hong Kong to the United Kingdom, as a family lost their loved one on their way back home.
Helen Rhodes, a devoted mother and midwife, was on her way back to the United Kingdom on 5th August 2022 when she suddenly died in her sleep in front of her husband, Simon, and her children, children, Nathan and Emma, according to PEOPLE. She was found unresponsive during the flight and was unable to be resuscitated.
The sudden death of the 46-year-old was traumatic for her children who stayed with her for the next 8 hours until the flight landed in Frankfurt. After which, her husband along with the children continued their journey to the UK. They were moving back to the United Kingdom after staying 15 years in Tung Chung, Hong Kong.
UK mom dies in her sleep on flight with husband and two kids https://t.co/vPkB0K1pqq pic.twitter.com/ih9Fmgou8r
— New York Post (@nypost) August 10, 2022
In a statement to The Guardian, a spokesperson for the agency said they are "supporting the family of a British woman who died on a flight to Frankfurt and are in contact with the local authorities."
One of her family friends, Jayne Jeje organized a fundraiser on GoFundMe to help Helen's family.
Sharing a few snippets from Helen's life, Jeje wrote that Helen was personally excited for this next chapter of her life and that she looked forward to meeting her aging parents and family members after a long time since the pandemic.
“This loss is unimaginable. Helen was a devoted wife and mother. She was the glue that held her family together.” wrote Jeje. "Helen was one of a kind, a gem," she said adding that back in Tung Chung, Helen was one of the most adored personalities in the community where she was an active and helpful member.
Kids 'Devastated' After Their 'Devoted' Mom Dies in Her Sleep on Flight: 'This Loss Is Unimaginable' https://t.co/pqWnJFt8jE
— People (@people) August 10, 2022
She was also one of the members of a tight-knit group called the Tang Chung Mums where more than 200 women relied on Helen's medical advice and knowledge. Adding to that in her pleading she said, "She was a midwife by profession and was always willing to lend a helping hand or advice to anyone who needed it. Helen loved to talk and made friends easily. She was the pulse of her community in Tung Chung, in Hong Kong."
According to The Guardian, one of the flight crew attendants reached out to the fundraiser appeal and expressed his condolences and showed his support towards her children and family.
Jeje concluded by writing, "This fundraiser is to honour this lovely woman who was loved by so many, a dear friend who touched so many people. We can only hope she knew how much she meant to us, and how her void can never be filled. How this loss is so painful and surreal. The grief we feel is paralyzing. Yet, we feel lucky to have known her."
References:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/Helen-Rhodes-Legacy-Fund?
Cover Image Source: GoFundMe
