A family has been left shattered after a 38-year-old Brisbane, Australian woman took a nap on the day her baby was due and never woke up.
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According to the family’s GoFundMe campaign page, the Australian woman, listed as Emmanuelle Margaret (Magz) Tongiatama, and her unborn baby, listed as Kariyah Tasela Tongiatama, suddenly died on April 11. The Australian woman was due to give birth to her baby that day but she never woke up after taking a nap at her home, something that has left her family shattered and doctors puzzled.
On the campaign page, Tongiatama has been described as “a loving wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend to so many.” The woman also leaves behind a husband named Edward Tongiatama and two beautiful daughters Ayla-Sialei and Zana Mary. Edward told the Courier-Mail that his wife had a medical appointment with a midwife just two days before her death. However, he said that the meeting “went well” and that his wife and unborn baby were in seemingly good health.
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Edward noted that he had taken a week off from work and was going on walks with his wife to help induce her labor. However, on the afternoon that his wife was due to give birth, they both had lunch, and after they finished she told him that she was tired and was going to lie down for a nap.
Edward said that after about 20 minutes he went to go check on his wife, which is when he discovered that she was not breathing. He immediately phoned for emergency medical services and began CPR, but he said, “She was just gone,” the Australian woman never woke up from her nap. Edward said he also saw a man skateboarding on the street, who happened to be an off-duty paramedic, and asked him for help.
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Edward recalled, “He sprung straight into action, found his way into the house, and helped me with CPR until the ambulance arrived soon after.” But sadly, they both were unable to save the Australian woman and her unborn baby. The devastated husband said, “We’re still going through all of the tests to see what happened to her but it’s at a loss.”
It is reported that the couple had just got married at short notice on January 6 as Tongiatama’s father had suddenly fallen ill. The couple was in the process of saving up money for a big wedding when they learned that Australian woman’s father was given just weeks to live. So, they planned a wedding in just three days so that they could fulfill her father’s wish of walking his daughter down the aisle.
Edward recalled, “We organized Margaret’s father’s funeral and were in Melbourne helping her mother grieve (and) we arrived back at our home in Warner four weeks before Margaret and Kariya’s passing.”
Edward said that the day his wife and unborn child passed away was also the birthday of her best friend, Sialei Carol Renee Stina Marina, who set up the family’s GoFundMe page. Edward said that his wife had planned a huge surprise party for her best friend and had made flight accommodations for her large Samoan family. Edward added, “This has left a massive hole in everyone’s lives.”
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