A THREE-year-old toddler tried to wake up her mum but the nurse had died suddenly in her sleep
NHS nurse Laura Whittingham, 32, was found by her young daughter Ava, after she didn’t get up to get her kids ready for school.
BPMLaura Whittingham died in her sleep at her home in Weston Coyney[/caption]
BPMHusband Carl says ‘everything was normal’ when they had gone to bed[/caption]
Husband Carl, 32, said how “everything was normal” when they went to bed at their home in Weston Coyney, a southeast suburb of Stoke-on-Trent, on October 4.
But the following morning, Laura, 32, who worked at the Royal Stoke University Hospital, never woke.
When he returned after the alarm was raised, he found his three-year-old daughter, Ava, coming down the stairs having failed to wake up her mum.
The mum was today described as a “Disney Queen” with the “most caring heart”.
Laura also leaves behind 20-month-old Mia, step-daughter Gracie-Mae, aged 13, her older sister Sam and parents Karen, 57, and Paul Davies, 59.
An inquest has been opened to determine the cause of death.
Carl, who also works at the Royal Stoke but as a health care assistant, said: “We both went to bed early that night.
“We were messing around watching videos on TikTok and laughing about different things on tele. Everything was normal.
“I went out for work at 6am. I never went to check on her before I left. I didn’t give her a kiss as it was so early, she normally moans about me if I do that.
“My dad called, he was worried that Laura wasn’t up to take the children to school. I called the police.
“When I got home the police had already broken into the house and as I got in they told me she’d passed away. I saw my three-year-old coming down the stairs after she tried to wake her up.
“Gracie came over and I explained to her that something had happened. She was upset, but she’s been really strong.
“She’s like a rock at the minute, helping as much as she can. Ava still goes in at night and in the morning.
“Ava and Mia have chosen mummy’s coffin. Ava wanted it to be pink and glittery. Mia, even though she can’t talk, blinks and tells me what she wants. She kept pointing at the purple one so we went for a purple glittery one.”
Laura, maiden name Davies, grew up in Meir and attended the now demolished Longton High School on Box Lane.
Her first job was at a Wacky Warehouse, before she started her career in the healthcare industry.
Initially she worked as a carer looking after adults with special needs before bagging a job as a ward assistant in 2012 where she met Carl.
He said: “We met at the hospital. It was just before she started her nurse’s training. We both moved around different wards but we always met up at dinner time.
“One day we switched each other’s phone numbers and it went from there. I’d had other relationships but there was nobody like her.
“It was always her smile. She had a really good smile and the most caring heart. She would always listen to you.”
It was always her smile. She had a really good smile and the most caring heart
Husband Carl Whittingham
Laura qualified as a nurse in 2016, the same year she married Carl at Milton Church. For their anniversary next year, the pair wanted to take the three children with them to Disneyland Paris.
The first day in the park would be their wedding anniversary.
Carl said Disney fan Laura’s bags were already packed despite the holiday being in May next year.
He added: “She loved reading all the Disney collections, she had all the books, the DVDs, she would always watch Disney.
“She enjoyed trying lots of different crafting, she knitted the girls a blanket each. She was always crafting something new.
“She was a major organiser, all the holiday stuff was in a folder. We’ll still be going on the holiday and taking the girls. Laura would not be happy if we didn’t go.”
Laura’s funeral will be held at Carmountside Crematorium next month. Disney Princesses will be in attendance.
A family friend has set up a GoFundMe page in honour of Laura to support the family during this time.
BPMTributes have been paid to the ‘Disney Queen’[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
