A heartbroken daughter has paid tribute to her late mother after she unexpectedly passed away in her North London home last month.
Irene Ross of Stonebridge died of heart failure on July 22 shortly after her 70th birthday having been suffering from Acute Cholecystitis, an inflammation of the gallbladder.
She had booked a holiday with her sister and was due to have her drainage bag removed on the following Monday.
READ MORE: Family distraught after ‘wonderful’ mum-of-three, 36, found dead in Southall park
Bonita Ross, 42, lived with her mum her whole life – but can’t afford to pay for her mum’s funeral as her Type 1 Diabetes and subsequent health problems means she cannot work.
Bonita cannot afford to pay for dear mum’s funeral
Her mum would help look after her three kids and would ‘do everything’ for Bonita and her family. Bonita’s daughter, who worked at Harrow Crown Court, is giving up her career to look after her mum.
“There’s no normality, my life is restricted. Some days I wake up and just feel terrible,” Bonita told My London.
Since her mum’s death, it’s been incredibly hard for Bonita.
She added: “It’s been really difficult, mum passed away in the house. She said she felt really hot, I got her water and her pump and she sat in the recliner chair in the front room.
“Usually when I get up I give her medication and make her breakfast. It was all a blur, I was checking to see if I could see her breathing but I just knew then that it was it. Now I keep thinking she’s downstairs or she’s gone away with my auntie.
Irene, pictured with one of her granddaughters, was beloved by her grandchildren and even their friends
(Image: Bonita Ross)
“It’s not been nice but mum didn’t suffer and we were all in the house – I know that’s what she wanted anyway.”
Bonita was first diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes aged 10, and nearly lost her life three years ago, after cutting her toe and developing Sepsis.
It was a scary time for the family, but Irene helped her daughter throughout it all, despite having health problems of her own.
Irene’s health went from ‘pillar to post’ throughout her life, particularly when she was hit by a car aged 20, resulting in a broken femur.
She spent nearly two years in hospital and had to learn how to walk again, she also contracted sepsis in later life.
‘My mum was the person and no one had a bad word to say about her’
(Image: Bonita Ross)
Mum-of-three Irene had six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren but Bonita says her mum was an auntie and nanny to everyone.
She said: “My mum was the person that no one had a bad word to say about. My son’s friends use to call her ‘nanny’.
“A lot of people called her ‘auntie’ and mum, my mum, was such a lovely woman.
“I’ve lived with my mum all my life and I’ve never been away from her for more than a month. She was the best mum.
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” We had our ups and downs as mothers and daughters do but it was just unconditional love so this doesn’t seem real to me.”
A GoFundMe has been started to help cover Irene’s funeral costs.
Got a story we should be covering? Contact Ruby at [email protected]
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