The shocking sudden death of a beloved 33-year-old mum has rocked the small, rural Australian town she called home.
Almost two weeks ago, Chantelle Winters collapsed at her home in Bombala, in far southern NSW, and was rushed to hospital after struggling with brutal headaches.
Following the doctors’ urgent advice, she travelled to Canberra, where she was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm and underwent emergency lifesaving surgery.
“That was treated with a stint, and all looked promising over the next week. She was expected to be in hospital for another week,” family friend Belinda Cuzner told news.com.au.
Chantelle was on the road to recovery and looking forward to returning to the comforts of home.
Tragically, her condition suddenly took a turn for the worse on Friday morning.
Mum, 33, passes away after ‘catastrophic’ stroke
Her husband Wayne and their two sons, Tyler, 16, and Rylie, 12, stayed nearby the previous night and were told to return to the hospital immediately.
“She’d had an episode. She went into surgery, and it was discovered that she’d had a catastrophic stroke,” Ms Cuzner explained.
“Not much more could be done for her.”
With her loved ones by her side, Chantelle’s life support was turned off on Sunday. She was 33 years young.
It’s unknown what caused the mum’s sudden downturn.
“I believe it’s just one of those complications that can happen after that sort of surgery,” Ms Cuzner said.
Community rallies around family of beloved mum
The community of Bombala is now rallying around Wayne, Tyler and Rylie, who Ms Cuzner said are “still in shock”.
“They’re still coming to terms with the fact that they don’t have her there anymore. She was the absolute love of Wayne’s life,” she said.
Just a couple of years ago the family bought a home, which Chantelle was “over the moon about”.
“It meant the world to her to be able to provide her boys with that security,” Ms Cuzner said.
The “amazing mum” who had a “great imagination” had since been tackling various DIY projects to make the space their own.
Tributes flow for mum with a ‘heart of pure gold’
Chantelle was also a hard worker and was often seen chatting with locals and tourists in the bistro of the local club where she was employed.
“She was everyone’s friend. She would talk to anybody. She just had an absolutely beautiful heart,” Ms Cuzner tearfully recalled, adding the “straight talker” had a “heart of pure gold”.
“She fought for those that she loved, whether that be her boys or her friends. She just wanted to do right by everybody. She just had an amazing soul.”
Ms Cuzner has created a GoFundMe to help Wayne and the boys with funeral costs and bills as they grieve their tremendous loss.
“I understand that times are tough at the moment for everyone and that some people may not be able to donate but would still like to help in some way. Please consider sharing and know that just keeping them in your thoughts and hearts will help,” she wrote on the fundraising page.