A "gorgeous and amazing" young mum died suddenly on the couch next to her three-year-old daughter.
Nicole Barnes was at her home, in Huyton, with her youngest child when she died on October, 3. The mum-of-four was found after her children's school rang her partner Craig Galloway to say they had not been collected.
The 29-year-old was discovered by her friend who attempted to resuscitate her until paramedics arrived but her family were given the tragic news a short time later that she had died. Nicole, who was described as an "amazing mum", leaves behind her partner Craig and their four children, Niamh, 10, Scott, seven , Tom, five and Delilah who is three.
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Nicole's cousin Kim has now set up a fundraising page to help support 36-year-old Craig, who is training to be a carpet fitter, and their children through this difficult time. The GoFundMe, which has passed its £10,000 target, will "help to ease the financial burden".
Kim told the Liverpool ECHO : "She picked up Delilah at 11.30am from nursery and was expected to pick her other children up later. She just passed away on the couch. She was an absolutely gorgeous young girl. She didn't have a bad bone in her body.
"She was an absolutely amazing mum and she did everything with such grace. She was a better mum than I ever could be. She had loads of issues with getting her five-year-old into help and into school because of his autism but she didn't stop. She fought and fought until he got everything he ever needed."
Nicole's cause of death is not yet known and Kim said everyone was devastated by what happened.
Kim, 36, added: "She was such a gorgeous soul. No one in the world could ever say a bad word about her. One of her friends, Gemma, tried to do CPR. The medics did everything they could.
"This is going to be so hard for Craig. It is so sad she has lost her life and left her four poor babies behind. She was one in million. She left such an amazing impression on everyone's hearts and her children will never forget that.
"Niamh has took on a mums role and is trying to be like her mum and help to take care of everyone but she shouldn't be doing that. This is just how she saw her mum, as someone who looked after everyone."
Many friends and family from as far as Holland have said Nicole's death has broken their hearts. Her closest friends have organised a "fundraiser cup" in her memory to raise money for her four children. It will take place at 12pm on Saturday, October, 15. It will be hosted on the King George V Playing Fields on Longview lane, Huyton.
To donate to the Gofundme page you can visit the link HERE
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