'Devoted' Frimley mum died after feeling pain while helping her children get ready for school

A mum-of-three from Surrey suddenly died after she was helping one of her children get ready for school.

Michaela Bateman, from Frimley, was taken to hospital after feeling ill on the morning of September 29, but later died from a pulmonary embolism.Michaela's mum, Sharon Massingham, said: "We lost my mum on September 29 - Michaela and she were very close - and then 10 days later we lost my daughter.

"So it's been a double whammy. It's a case of having to cope with it because we have the children."

The 34-year-old was helping her eldest son get ready for school and called to her mum from the bedroom saying she was in pain.

The 52-year-old grandmother said: "She was in agony and saying it was in her rib cage. She suffered from pancreatitis, which I thought it was."

Sharon said the pain 'grew worse and worse' and so she called an ambulance for her daughter.Michaela was taken to Frimley Park Hospital where she suffered a cardiac arrest soon after arriving and staff told the devastating news that she was 'gravely ill'.

Sharon, who followed the ambulance to the hospital with her son Craig, said the doctors had to 'work' Michaela's heart and breathing for her.

She added: "They worked on her for about an hour and a half but they had to turn the machine off as there was no more they could do for her. She died from a catastrophic pulmonary embolism.

"She was a devoted mum and she used to go on date nights with her eldest and go bowling and for a meal."

Sharon, who lives in Bracknell, said that either she or her husband will now have to give up their jobs in order to look after their three grandchildren - George, 9, Colby, 2, and five-month-old Cahlia.

She added: "There just isn't any government help you can get because we're the grandparents and so unfortunately one of us has got to give up work as well."

Michaela's brother, Craig, said: "It's been really hard and a struggle to come to terms with it all. It's hard to explain when someone like that passes - losing your sister is horrible."

A group of friends have since set up a fundraiser to help pay for the funeral and support the children.

At the time of writing more than £6,800 has been donated, which her friends said is 'fantastic' and 'shows how much she was loved'.

Kelly Green said Michaela's death was a 'total shock' and 'probably the hardest thing I've had to deal with'.

She added: "I think it's brought us girls a lot closer together. I look at photos now of all of us and never in a million years would I have expected one of us not to be here."

Chole Gosiewski added: "I'm making a video tribute of her and I'm listening to her voice recordings and I keep looking at her thinking what is happening and that it doesn't make sense - I can't believe it's happened to her and her children."

While another friend of Michaela's, Amy Hauke, added: "I've known her since I was three - she was my bridesmaid at my wedding - and it's just numbing and unbelievable that it can happen."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...