26 August 2023 , 01:24
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A mum-of-two has died just weeks before her wedding after undergoing a routine operation.
Angela Gillies, 51, was admitted to Raigmore hospital in Inverness for the procedure on August 18, but was transferred to intensive care the following day after suffering complications. She tragically passed away on August 20.
Angela suffered from fibromyalgia syndrome - a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body - and was due to celebrate her 52nd birthday this week and was set to marry 'love of her life' Kevin Pratt on September 23, reports Daily Record.
Her family, including her two sons, have been left shocked and devastated by her death. Paying tribute online, one of her sons Alan wrote: "I’m just so lost for words. Mum was my everything, my mentor, my best friend. But this is not a goodbye, just a see you later. I will love you forever and always."
Angela and Kevin met six years ago and had arranged for their wedding to take place at the Nethybridge Hotel in the Cairngorms. Kevin said: "I am just so heartbroken and devastated. I am going to miss all our road trips and adventures but I promised my beautiful fiancée that I will be there for her lovely mum and dad and her courageous sons and their partners."
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Angela and Kevin met six years ago (Daily Record)Angela's best friend Helen Duncan also spoke of the couple's love for one and other. She said: "They came together a little later in life and were truly meant to be together. Their love for each other radiated and they were both so clearly happy." Helen went on to say that her pal had a heart of gold and always put other people first despite having to cope with living with fibromyalgia.
She continued: "Even when Angela was debilitated through fibromyalgia, she was still always there for her loved ones. She had so much love for others. She was excited by their accomplishments and saddened by any hurt other people felt." Helen has since created a fundraising page to help with the cost of the funeral, with Angela's fiancé Kevin left having to fork out for the wedding.
She added: "With all the expense of the wedding, adding in the cost of the funeral won’t be easy. I ask, if you can, to donate so that Kevin and family do not need to worry about anything financial and to allow them to grieve for Angela. She has left a massive hole in their lives, and they need to only concentrate on dealing with that."
A spokesperson for NHS Highland said: "Due to patient confidentiality, we do not comment on individual cases."