The family of a Fife nurse who died just hours after giving birth to her first child have spoken of their devastating loss on the third anniversary of her death.
Shannon Napier, 24, suffered a cardiac arrest five hours after daughter Abbie was born in April 2020.
And fiance Jordan Burt said the youngster now refers to her mummy as “a star shining in the sky”.
He and Shannon’s mum Tracy De Munck Mortier said Abbie had kept the whole family going as they struggled to come to terms with Shannon’s death.
And they also praised the support of Shannon’s former classmates at Dundee University, who rallied round in the wake of the tragedy.
They raised £17,000 through a crowdfunder set up to celebrate their friend’s life and support Abbie.
And they have now unveiled a bench in her memory at the university’s Kirkcaldy campus.
Shannon and Jordan planned to marry
Tracy said: “When Shannon died, the support from her friends was a such a comfort to everyone.
“To know that she had impacted on so many lives in such a positive way really helped us.
“It’s nice to know there’s a place here at the university where people can come to take a moment and think about Shannon and the happy memories they shared together.”
Shannon graduated from Dundee’s School of Health Sciences 18 months before she died.
She grew up in Kirkcaldy and was a former pupil of Fair Isle Primary and Kirkcaldy High schools.
And she began her career as a theatre nurse with NHS Fife following her graduation in 2018.
Shannon died on April 25 2020, exactly 11 years after she and Jordan met, and the pair had planned to marry on the same date in 2021.
Jordan said the fact the memorial bench was unveiled on April 25 was enormously significant for the family.
Becoming a mum was all Shannon wanted
He said: “The bench is just one small part of what’s been a widespread outpouring of support for us.
“Abbie was three on Monday and she’s doing so well.
“She was born at 10pm on April 24 and due to complications, Shannon passed away just after 4am on the 25th.
“I think she probably has some sort of understanding her mum isn’t here – if we speak about her mum she says she’s a star shining in the sky.
“Shannon would be really proud of how she’s grown up and all her achievements.”
Tracy said Shannon had always wanted to be a mum.
“She couldn’t wait,” she said.
“It’s all she wanted to be since she was a little girl.
“Abbie is her double and she’s a credit to them both.
“If it wasn’t for Abbie I don’t know what I’d do.
“I’m still struggling with my mental health and Abbie brings so much joy.”
Tributes paid to ‘caring person’ Shannon Napier
Tracy attended the memorial bench unveiling with Jordan, Abbie and Shannon’s brother Grant and sister Ellie, where tributes were paid.
She said: “I feel so privileged that they’ve thought about Shannon like this.
“It’s someplace for Abbie to go in the future once she realises what’s happened to her mummy.
“I don’t think Shannon knew how much she was liked.
“She was such a caring person and would think of others before herself. She was like that as a child.
“But she also had a fun side to her.”
‘A hugely popular student’
Linda Martindale, Dean of the School of Health Sciences, said Shannon was a hugely popular student and her death had affected all who knew her.
“Our Kirkcaldy campus is a particularly close-knit community and few things exemplify this better that the collective support shown by our students and staff in the aftermath of Shannon’s death, efforts which have helped to purchase this memorial,” she said.
“It’s a privilege to welcome Shannon’s loved ones back to campus for this unveiling, which will act as a permanent tribute to her time studying here.”
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