Somerset family left 'devastated' after teen dies suddenly from epilepsy

Alisha died at the age of 18 Credit: BPM Media

The family of an 18-year-old girl have been left 'devastated' after she died suddenly from epilepsy.

Alisha Louise Hooper, from Somerton in Somerset, went to bed 'happy and outwardly healthy' on the evening of Tuesday 13 September but died the following day.

Following her death, her family paid tribute to their 'beautiful, bright star' and a 'true family girl'. She leaves behind her dad Paul, mum Sophie and older brother Toby.

Sophie Edwards said: "The four of us did everything together. Her brother had recently finished his degree, and it was great to be all back together again.

"We truly treasure all the days out, weekends away and the amazing family trips we took, enabling us to make the most precious memories. I can not express how much we loved our time together.

Alisha suffered from a rare form of epilepsy and had campaigned to raise awareness of the condition Credit: BPM Media

"Alisha would spend hours drawing and created so many amazing pictures. The last one, which she created the evening before she died, she left outside our bedroom door for me.

"The words say 'Hope Shines Eternal' I will treasure it forever. Writing and drawing was her biggest passion, and our bassett hound Henry, would always be at her side."

Alisha was diagnosed with the illness in 2017.

Since her death, Alisha's family have launched a fundraising campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of epilepsy.

According to charity EpilepsyAction, there are 600,000 people with epilepsy living in the UK - around one in every 100 people.

According to her mother, Alisha was really passionate about raising awareness of the condition.

She said: "Alisha would often do presentations at sixth form assemblies and create posters to raise awareness, and get people talking about the condition.

"Alisha really wanted everyone to feel that they could talk about it. As a family we are absolutely devastated, yet we do find comfort in raising awareness for epilepsy, as Alisha would have wanted.

“We are so incredibly grateful for any donation that can be made, and the conversation that will hopefully follow. I will forever miss ‘my bean’.”

The family are raising money for the Epilepsy Society and have already raised more than £6,000.