MOURNERS gathered in Co Antrim yesterday to pay their respects to a Co Antrim mother-of-one who died after suffering a severe migrane.
Hundreds of people packed into St Comgall's Church in Antrim to say their final farewells to Laura Burns (32), who passed away on Monday.
Ms Burns' devastated nursing colleagues from Antrim Area Hospital formed a guard of honour outside the church as family and friends gathered to mourn.
A nursing sister and ward manager, who has been described as a "wonderful young woman", she died after developing a severe migraine.
Her family said she was in bed with her one-year-old son Lorcan, who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy, when she took ill during the early hours of Sunday morning.
Complaining of a crippling migraine, she then lost consciousness and went into cardiac arrest.
Attempts were made by her father and paramedics to resuscitate her at her home, but her family said she "couldn’t be revived and suffered catastrophic brain damage".
"She was taken to Antrim Area Hospital where she bravely fought on while on life support under the devoted care of the medical and nursing staff of ICU," they said.
"At lunchtime on Monday 10 December, however, the strain on Laura's body became too much and we had to take the heartbreaking decision to take her off life support.
"Laura passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family shortly after."
A former pupil at Ballymena Academy, her family said she had suffered from migraines since her teenage years. Their statement, which was written as they launched a fund in her memory, has been inundated with donations and tributes.
In just a few days, almost £8,000 has been raised, which will be donated to the intensive care unit that treated her and the Buddy Bear Trust, which supports her son.
Tributes have described her as a "wonderful person and an amazing nurse", while others said she was " such a vibrant person".
To donate, please visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/laura-burns
