Mum suddenly dies after being hit with extreme tiredness as doctors left baffled

A mum-of-six has suddenly died just days after becoming lethargic.

Eileen Azzopardi, otherwise known as Iyeiye, died in hospital on April 8 just eight days after she fell ill without warning. The mum, from Audenshaw, Greater Manchester, had been spending time with her family when she became extremely tired.

Eileen eventually became delirious and unresponsive and even struggled to remember the password to her phone. As she fell asleep on the sofa, her family decided to call 999.

She was rushed to Manchester Royal Infirmary and underwent a blood transfusion but her condition deteriorated within hours. She was placed into an induced coma while medics carried out an endoscopy - a test where a camera is placed inside the body.

During the examination, they discovered part of her bowel had died, later deciding to operate so they could re-attach the bowel together. But Eileen’s devastated family were told chances of surviving the procedure were slim, and six hours later, they learned her body had 'given up'.

Tragically they watched from her bedside as Eileen took her very last breath as she died at 36-years-old. Now her loved ones are trying to come to terms with their monumental loss – saying her six young daughters Ellie 18, Amy, 17, Libby, 15, Stephanie, 14, Lyla, 13 and Lucie, 12, are finding life 'really difficult' without their mum.

Eileen’s sister Susan Azzopardi, 30, told Manchester Evening News: “We have a group chat where we try and comfort them by sharing pictures to keep her memory alive.

“It’s really been awful. I can’t even look at her pictures now without getting upset. It’s seeing my mum lose her child, that’s what kills me. We turned her life support machine off and she took her last breath in front of all of us. It was so hard to watch her daughters break down emotionally.”

Susan says doctors still don’t know how Eileen died. The family hope a full postmortem examination will bring them some answers. She can recall the very last conversation she had with her sister before she was placed into a coma.

She said: “When she went into hospital she was awake and talking. She was struggling to talk but told me she needed a hairbrush. That was the last time I ever spoke to her. Within hours, she was put into an induced coma.”

One of eight siblings and a huge Oasis fan, Eileen was known as the 'family comedian' who would “go out of her way to make everyone happy”.

Susan continued: "She was a big part of our family. She was always cracking jokes and making everyone smile. She loved music and Oasis; she would quite happily sit with headphones on and party to Oasis.

“She was the family comedian and was always cracking jokes at the worst of times. She would go out of her way to make everyone happy.”

Susan says surgeons fought to save Eileen’s life but sadly the operation was not successful.

She said: “Surgeons tried their best to save my sister by removing the dead bowel without success. Eight days after my sister was taken to hospital, we had no choice but to let her die peacefully as her body had given up. She died in the presence of our mother, siblings, cousin and four of her own children.”

The family is desperately trying to raise funds for Eileen’s funeral expenses.

Susan said: “With this being so unexpected, we don’t have enough to cover her funeral cost. Anything anyone can do to help will be a massive relief for us all. Iyeiye was always so happy and the life and soul of the party. I will never be the same again without her. She is truly irreplaceable; we are heartbroken.”

To donate to Eileen’s funeral fund, please follow the link by clicking here.

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