A mum-of-two died suddenly after going to bed complaining of a sore shoulder. Clare Duffy, 41, thought a hot bath and a good nap would ease her pain, but when her husband Richard went to check on her she was unresponsive.
He frantically dialled 999 but medics could not revive her and she was pronounced dead on January 8, the Manchester Evening News reports.
It was later discovered that she died of a pulmonary embolism. This happens when a clump of material, often a blood clot, gets stuck in an artery in the lungs and can be life-threatening if left untreated.
Richard, 38, said: "I was emotionally distraught. I was screaming. I ran into my daughter's bedroom and I was straight on the phone to emergency services. It doesn't feel real but it all feels like a blur. It went by so quickly."
The tragedy was the second to affect Richard and children Harry, 16 and Alice, 15, from Little Hulton, Greater Manchester. Just three weeks before Clare's death, her mum Catherine also died suddenly on December 19, leaving Clare devastated.
"[Catherine's death] is still under investigation," Richard said. "It was a big shock. She had not been well for a while and was on a lot of painkillers. [Clare] spent a lot of time with her mum, she had to drive past her house to get to work so she saw her on a daily basis."
Clare, who worked on the transport team at Kenny Waste Management, has been described as a "beautiful, wonderful and bubbly" person who "everybody liked". She was known to be extremely family-orientated and spent any spare time making memories with her loved ones.
Richard and Clare had been due to celebrate their 10-year wedding anniversary when Clare tragically passed away. He continued: "Everybody she met liked her. Her family was her main interest. Any spare time she spent with her daughter, son, nephews or nieces. She was very family-orientated."
Harry and Alice are still struggling to come to terms with their mum's sudden passing. Richard added: "My son is still closed off. It was worse for my daughter. While I was on the phone to paramedics, her bedroom was right next door. She heard everything that was going on."
The family have now been left with two funerals to pay for. A GoFundMe appeal has been set up to help Richard, Harry and Alice raise some of the funds needed.
The description reads: "I am humbly asking for a little help so that I can give Clare and her mum the send off they deserve and I am in the process of trying to do this. I know Clare and Cath were both loved by so many of the people they met in their eventful lives and I am hoping to show that one more time."
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