A devastated mum shared a final photo of her 15-year-old daughter before her life support was turned off after an asthma attack left her brain dead.
Paula Thompson, 47, found Beccy unable to breathe or talk after she took a nap at home to recover from the asthma bout.
Beccy was taken to hospital where she battled for life in an induced coma but a scan showed she was brain dead and would not recover, Birmingham Live reports.
Her family said doctors thought her earlier asthma attack had been so severe her brain was deprived of oxygen and she had a cardiac arrest while napping.
Medics switched off her life support, and the aspiring social care worker died with her family around her.
Paula said: “Beccy was the most beautiful person. She was my world, and she was loved by everyone. I’m so proud of the person she became. It hasn’t hit me yet. It feels like she’s just gone away for a while, and one day she’ll walk back through the front door.
“The last thing she said to me was ‘Mum, I think I’m dying’, and that will stay with me for the rest of my life.”
Paula released a poignant last photo of her cuddling Beccy in hospital to raise awareness of the dangers of asthma. She said: “I just want people to see how dangerous asthma can be. A lot of people think ‘it’s only asthma’, but it can be fatal and should be taken seriously.”
Beccy’s cousin Katie Costello, 30, added: “Beccy was a wonderful person with a heart of gold. She would do anything for anyone. She had such a big, bubbly personality. She was always trying to make you laugh, telling jokes and busting out TikTok dances.
“Two weeks ago she was completely fine. I don’t think any of us can get our heads around the fact she is actually gone. People should know how dangerous asthma can be.
“You can’t take anything for granted, because you don’t know what’s around the corner.”
Beccy was at home with mum Paula and best friend Mia Doyle, 14, when she suffered chest pains and began wheezing, on January 9.
An ambulance was called and she was treated with a nebuliser. Paula later found her unable to breathe or talk - and within two hours, she was in an induced coma at Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham, on a ventilator.
An MRI scan on January 12 revealed Beccy was brain dead and the family were told to say their goodbyes. Beccy was pronounced dead at 1.20pm on January 13, surrounded by her mother, cousins and sister Chantell Read.
The family are fundraising via GoFundMe to cover the costs of Beccy’s funeral.
