A woman died in front of her kids and husband after becoming unresponsive on a flight from Hong Kong to the United Kingdom.
According to Go Fund Me page, Helen Rhodes was excited to be moving back to the UK with her family for a "new adventure" after having lived in Hong Kong for 15 years. However, after a few hours into the long-haul flight, Ms Rhodes was found unresponsive on August 5.
"For the remaining 8 hours of the flight, Helen lay in a breathless sleep in her seat. Although this was extremely traumatising to the family, they all had time to say what they needed to say to her," the Go Fund Me page read.
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"This loss is unimaginable. Helen was a devoted wife and mother. She was the glue that held her family together," it added.
Ms Rhodes was unable to resuscitate on board the aircraft. To add to the tragedy, her children had to sit next to their mother for the remaining hours until the plane could land. Her husband, Simon, and young kids, Nathan and Emma, are devastated" by the "unimaginable" loss.
The plane then stopped in Germany where Ms Rhodes' body was left in Frankfurt while her family had to travel the rest of the way without her. The Go Fund Me page described the mother as one of a kind, and the pulse of her community in Tung Chung, Hong Kong.
Ms Rhodes was a midwife and she also ran her own business crafting bespoke accessories. She belonged to a tight-knit group, Tung Chung Mums, where more than 300 women turned to Ms Rhodes for medical advice.
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"Helen always made herself available to help others. She was clever, witty and generous with her time. We can only hope she knew how much she meant to us," the page read.
Money raised from Go Fund Me will go towards funeral costs and additional support for her family.
Separately, speaking to The Guardian, the UK Foreign Office said that the department is supporting the family of the British woman who died on a flight to Frankfurt and, are in contact with local authorities.
