My Girl Died Hours Before Her Wedding

Linda Swabey, 61, couldn’t wait to see her daughter marry in her gorgeous white dress. But within hours of the big day, tragedy struck.

- Eimear O' Hagan & Louise Baty

As my daughter Anna took her last breath, I laid my head on her chest and wept. The sun was rising and the house was silent. Everyone else was asleep. Gathering Anna up, I cradled her in my arms just as I’d done when she was a tiny baby. ‘Goodbye, darling,’ I whispered.

For the past 20 months, Anna had battled a terminal brain tumour, astounding everyone with her strength. Now she’d died, aged 25, it felt like a light had gone out.

Six months on, I’m facing my first Mother’s Day without Anna, who was larger than life, even as a little girl. A chatterbox with a wicked sense of humour, she became a striking young woman, 6ft tall with long blonde hair.

Family comes first

She enjoyed playing netball and supporting Leicester Tigers rugby union club. Most of all, she loved being with her family – despite more than a 10-year age gap between her and her older sister Victoria and big brother Matthew, they were all close. Her dad Keith, then 48, and I were there to see her graduate from the University of Portsmouth in 2013. And, ferociously independent and bright, while a lot of graduates struggle to settle after uni, Anna found a job as a customer services manager. Thanks to her determination, her life was turning out so well.

Only, in January 2015, Anna’s housemate found her on the floor of the flat they shared. She was rushed by ambulance to Southampton General Hospital after suffering a seizure. I’ll never forget the phone call telling me to get to the hospital as fast as possible.