A much-loved teenager tragically passed away in her sleep just two days after spending Christmas with her family.
Maisie-Jade Thornton was diagnosed with epilepsy four years ago after suffering from “quite a few” seizures. Her auntie, Kelly Hodgson says the 14-year-old was reasonably healthy before the diagnosis, but soon started to have a number of seizures that were “all quite bad.”
Enjoying a happy Christmas with her large family in Accrington, Lancashire, Maisie-Jade spent time with her dad, Stewart Thornton and step-mum Mel Stott, Lancs Live reports.
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“They had like 13 or 14 family members over for Christmas Day, my brother and his girlfriend Mel,” Kelly explained.
“She really enjoyed herself, she had a really good Christmas Day. I’ve got a picture of her smiling. She was happy with all her presents, she got all sorts.”
However, two days later on Wednesday (December 27), Maisie-Jade was staying over at her mum Rhiannon’s house when the unthinkable happened. Kelly added: “She had just gone to sleep as normal. Her mum found her in the morning when she went down.”
Kelly believes Maisie-Jade may have experienced a seizure in her sleep, due to her living with epilepsy. As a student of Accrington Academy, Kelly says her niece was “very well loved” and a “very very popular students”
She added: “She was just so nice and caring and she would do anything for anyone. She was always smiling, always. We called her ‘Moo’ as well, the whole family called her Maisie Moo.” She added: “It’s just broken us as a family.
“I mean it’s brought us together even more, but it’s just broken us. We don’t know what to do with ourselves.”
Tributes have come flooding in for Maisie-Jade, including from her dad Stewart. He described her daughter as “loved” and remembers “how sweet” she always was, adding: “we will always love and miss her.”
As an NHS worker, Kelly is reluctant to return to work, knowing her niece’s body remains in the hospital until its released. In the meantime, she has created a Go Fund Me page for donations towards Maisie-Jade’s funeral, which at the time of writing has almost reached £6,000. She said: “It’s amazing. We’re just so overwhelmed at people’s generosity and support.
“We’re a big family anyway, but I’m just overwhelmed by how much it’s been shared.” Although no date has yet been set for the teenager’s funeral, those attending will be wearing purple in a nod to Maisie-Jade’s favourite colour.
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
