Healthy mum dies on flight home from holiday forcing jet into emergency landing

07 March 2024 , 02:32

594 0

Stefanie died after falling ill on the plane (Image: Stefanie Smith/Facebook)

A mum-of-two died suddenly on a flight back from the Dominican Republic leaving stunned doctors trying to figure out what happened.

Reports suggest she was full of life on her holiday. Stefanie Smith's heartbroken brother Chris Volz said: "Everything I've seen in videos, they had a great time." She was flying back to Charlotte, North Carolina, when she suddenly died.

The 41-year-old's family didn't know of any health problems she might have had and they have been left clueless as to what could have happened. The plane was forced to land in Turks and Caicos quickly because Stefanie had a very serious health deterioration, and she was taken to a hospital there, but sadly didn't make it.

Her family want to send their own doctor to the Caribbean to check what happened before Stefanie's body is brought back to the US for a funeral.

Read more: Mid-air horror as passengers tackle man trying to open plane door before duct-taping his legs

Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him

Healthy mum dies on flight home from holiday forcing jet into emergency landing

Stefanie Smith with her two teenage children, Coen and Macee (Kristi Spratt/GoFundMe)

There are "still a lot of unknowns," said Chris, reports the New York Post. Chris shared that when he first got the sad news about his sister from his parents on Wednesday night, he just couldn't "believe it's true," feeling like everything was happening in "slow motion."

Chris said he will really miss how often Stefanie used to ring him up just to say she loved him.

One of the unfortunate woman's work pals wrote on social media that she was finding it hard to come to terms with her friend's sudden passing. Kristina Swinney wrote on Thursday: "I can't remember the last time I've felt heartache like this. The news today has shattered us."

Kristina Swinney (left) with Smith (Kristina Swinney/Facebook)

Almost $80k has been raised for Stefanie's family (Stefanie Smith/Facebook)

"My days at work will forever be changed," she said, remembering how they had just chatted "about how you wouldn't let anyone have a bad day ... you weren't having any part of it."

Swinney spoke of her friend as "the energy of work" at the Memorial Hospital of South Bend, where Stefanie worked as an X-ray technician. "Looking to my left today, seeing you gone, knowing you aren't coming back has left me a mess, Stef," she wrote. "It's empty and quiet. The only peace I have is knowing where you are now."

Swinney has since started an online fundraiser for Smith's kids, Coen and Macee, who Volz said are being looked after by their dad and other family members.

He said his sister's main focus in life was looking after her children, and Swinney described the teenagers as Smith's "everything."

"She gave her very best every day for you and worked her butt off to make sure to provide for you both," she wrote as she tried to promote the fundraiser - which has raised more than $78,000 for the family as of Wednesday evening.

"This GoFundMe won't ease your pain, but moving forward, know that your mom would want you to accomplish your goals and always strive to be better versions of yourself."

"The love she shared with Coen and Macee cannot be measured or described in words," says the fundraiser. Also, her endless love for her family, friends and community will leave a lasting impact on all who had the privilege of knowing her.