The close friend of a 'promising' young student who died in her sleep has said the 'world will never be the same again' following her tragic death.
Jess Ball, 22, died after suffering from unexplained acute heart failure in November 2021. The University of Central Lancashire student had a promising future as an architect.
Her friend Lauren Beaumont-Blundell paid tribute to her, telling the Echo that Jess was 'full of life' and would always 'light up a room'.
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"She was just super protective and just so loyal, the kind of person that would always have your back. If you were her friend she just cared so deeply about you", she said.
"When she walked into a room you could feel something had changed and she was just so glamorous. For everyone who knew her, I'm not sure that the world will ever be the same again."
Lauren, 22, met Jess at Greenbank High School but the pair lost touch after college and had planned to meet up. However, Jess died before they could and now Lauren is running in the Southport 10k as a way of honouring her memory.
Lauren said: "There were no warning signs for her death, it was so unexpected, she was really fit and healthy. So I think because of how unexpected it was I don't think even now people have been able to comprehend that she has gone.
"The world has lost its sparkle now that she has gone, her family miss her so much. Her loss is felt enormously in so many different ways by so many different people. I think a part of everyone has gone as well."
Acute heart failure is a sudden, life-threatening condition in which the heart is still beating, but it cannot deliver enough oxygen to meet the body’s needs.
Lauren is raising money for The Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital Charity which works to save lives, support patients and raise awareness of heart and lung conditions in both adults and children.
Lauren, a teacher, added: "I want to do this run for Jess and her memory, but she would think I was crazy doing it. I want to say thank you to everyone for the support. But mostly to her family and closest friends, I'm doing it for them as well as Jess."
Donations to Lauren's Just Giving page and more information can be found here.
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