A mother died during a flight and her husband and two children had to travel for eight hours next to her body, according to what her relatives explained on a page to raise funds.
Helen Rhodes, 46, boarded a plane on August 5 to start "a new chapter" of her life in the United Kingdom, her country of origin, after living more than 15 years in Hong Kong, according to the website.
"She was excited and nervous" about the trip, but "was looking forward to seeing her parents", from whom she had been separated since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
"Unfortunately, she was never able to do it," the website added: A few hours after the plane took off, Rhodes passed away in her sleep.
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"Despite all efforts, Helen could not be revived. All this happened in front of her children," detailed the GoFundMe page created by her friend Jayne Jeje to raise funds for her family.
During the remaining eight hours of the trip, the woman "remained in her seat", a situation "extremely traumatic for the family", who nevertheless "had time to tell her everything they needed to say", according to the page.
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The plane landed in Frankfurt (Germany), where the health authorities proceeded to disembark the body of Rhodes.
Her husband, Simon, and her two children, Nathan and Emma, traveled to the United Kingdom without her, and her mother's body remained in Germany to carry out the protocols provided for in these cases.
"This loss is unimaginable," the page says, "Helen was a devoted wife and mother. She was the glue that held her family together."
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"Helen was smart and creative. She had her own business making amazing bows and custom-made accessories," the page recounted, "always willing to lend a hand or advise anyone in need. She couldn't walk a few steps without bumping into someone I knew by name.
"The sorrow we feel is paralyzing," he concluded, "but we feel lucky to have met her."