Helen Rhodes, a mother of two and a midwife, was looking forward to embarking on a new chapter. After 15 years of living in Hong Kong, Helen, her husband, Simon, and her children, Emma and Nathan decided to pack up and move to the United Kingdom.
They were en route to the United Kingdom when Helen passed away suddenly, unexpectedly and in front of her children. Helen “passed away in her sleep” after a few hours into the long-haul flight. Despite all efforts, she was not able to be resuscitated.
A plane full of people witnessed this happen, including Helen’s two children.
Seated next to her body for 8 hours
In an even more heartbreaking turn of events, Emma and Nathan continued to be seated next to their mother as she remain lifeless in her seat.
For eight hours, Simon, Emma and Nathan sat with Helen, holding her hand and saying their goodbyes. Our heart breaks just thinking about how awful this would have been for the kids.
The shock of Helen’s unexpected passing has sent a grief wave through Helen’s family and friends, including Helen’s parents who she was going to the UK to visit. She hadn’t seen them, or the rest of her extended family, since before the pandemic.
Helen’s friend, Jayne Jeje, shared on a GoFundMe page,
We are still in disbelief and shock about the sudden passing of our dearest friend Helen Rhodes, whose life has touched many people in Hong Kong and the UK.Helen was found unresponsive a few hours into the flight. Despite all efforts, Helen was not able to be resuscitated. This all unfolded in front of her children. For the remaining 8 hours of the flight, Helen lay in a breathless sleep in her seat. Although this was extremely traumatizing to the family, they all had time to say what they needed to say to her.Needless to mention, they are devastated. After landing in Germany and the protocol that followed, Helen remained in Frankfurt while her husband (Simon) and two young children (Nathan and Emma) had to go on to the UK without her.”
‘One of a kind’Â
She was clever, witty and generous with her time. This fundraiser is to honor this lovely woman who was loved by so many, a dear friend who touched so many people. We can only hope she knew how much she meant to us., and how her void can never be filled. How this loss is so painful and surreal. The grief we feel is paralyzing. Yet, we feel lucky to have known her.”
Support for family after mum dies on flight
In just four days, over 300 people have donated to support Simon, Emma and Nathan and have shared their kind stories and words of support for Helen. The heartbroken Rhodes family is incredibly grateful as they process this grief and learn how to “build a life without Helen”.
At this stage, there is no information on the exact cause of death but a spokesperson for United Kingdom’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office said they are “supporting the family of a British woman who died on a flight to Frankfurt and are in contact with the local authorities.”
