A 31-year-old mother of three who “lived for her family” has died of coronavirus, leaving her loved ones devastated.
Full-time mum Katie Gill, who lived in Moreton, near Liverpool, was taken to hospital in early August with breathing difficulties after catching the virus.
Following a two-week battle against Covid, Katie died in Arrowe Park Hospital on August 14, leaving behind her husband and three children.
Katie’s best friend Karen Rotherham has spoken out about her death to warn others that the pandemic “hasn’t gone away.”
She said: “Katie was the loveliest, kindest, funniest person, who would do anything for anyone.
"It was her breathing, the usual, so she had to go to hospital and she deteriorated from there.
"Katie was one of those people when there have been lockdowns who was totally careful, would do everything she could to keep her family healthy.
"Because of her age, because she was just 31, that's why it was so much more of a shock.
"She'd had a jab and was keeping safe.”
Karen said Katie's family and friends want people to realise the danger of coronavirus is still present, even though restrictions have now ended.
"Although you can do a lot of things now, you still need to be aware and get your jabs," said Karen.
"Katie was due to get her second one this month. She took her first jab to protect herself and her family.
"The family just want to say that they don't want other families to go through what they've had to go through the past two weeks - for everyone to keep safe to get your jabs done - that's so important."
A fundraiser has been set up to help Katie’s family with her funeral costs, centring on the Birkenhead North End community where she grew up.
Karen said: "The north end is a very close community so even if you move away you're still regarded as part of the community, we're all very close here.
"When there was a fundraiser or anything, Katie was always one of the first people to give herself."
Karen says she finds it hard looking back through photographs of her and her best friend, who "told each other everything."
She said: "It breaks my heart when I'm looking back on family photos, it's just so very sad, I don't think it's sunk in yet.
"She was so creative and really into arts and crafts, her talent was amazing, but her hobby and her life was her family - she lived for her family.
To donate to Katie's fund GoFundMe click here.
