A family has suffered a heartbreaking double tragedy this Christmas, as their mum passed away just days after their grandfather.
Two sisters have now spoken out about their heartbreak after the "life and soul of the party" tragically passed away just ten days ago.
Keira and Shauna Heaney's mother, Colette Heaney, was 53-years-old when she died on Thursday, December 15.
The sister, who live in Cardiff, say that they cannot "register" that their mum has passed away, as she died only four days after her step-father, John, had died in the early hours of Sunday morning, December 11.
Now, the Heaney family are not only facing tremendous grief, but have to plan two funerals.
However, Keira and Shauna say that the weight of their mother's burial is weighing down on them as they cannot afford to pay for it, and so have subsequently launched a fundraising page in her memory.
Keira, 21, says that losing both her family members has been the hardest thing she has had to face in her life, especially during the festive period.
Opening up about her heartbreak, she told Wales Online : "At first, it didn’t really set in, it didn’t register.
"I've had so many messages from people but all I can think about is why are they sending me these messages? It just doesn't seem real.
"We went over to her house the other day to sort out her clothes, and I thought to myself, why isn’t my mum here? She should be here. It’s honestly the worst feeling I have ever felt in my life. I feel guilt because I walked out that day and I didn’t say a word to her. I am never going to be able to say goodbye again and I think that will haunt me for the rest of my life."
According to her daughters, Colette was a well known face around Canton, a community in west Cardiff, where she spent most of her life working as a carer.
During her life, she became a friend to many, with Keira saying: "If you go to Canton and you ask anyone, they knew my mum.
"No one had a bad word to say about her. She used to be a carer and this one time when she had a mini stroke and was in hospital, there was an old man across from her on the ward. She was there looking after him. And I said: ‘Mum, we are here for you’. She was there for everyone."
But on December 11, the family were left completely heartbroken when Keira and Shauna's grandfather and Colette's stepfather, John, passed away in his sleep at the age of 82.
Keira said: "Although he was old, his death was very unexpected. He was old but none of us knew it was going to happen. He basically stopped breathing, the same as my mum."
Just days after, Colette and her eldest daughter, Shauna, decided to travel back from London, where they were looking after their grandmother, to Cardiff ahead of John's funeral.
During the drive back, Keira said: "Our mum wasn’t her usual self but there wasn’t anything noticeably wrong.
"She kept saying she wanted to go home. My sister agreed to drive her back home, while me and my Nan went to buy my grandad’s funeral clothes.
"I didn’t even say goodbye to her - I didn’t even think it would be the last time I would see her. I thought she was going to come down for the funeral and I’d see her then. I didn’t even say goodbye."
Tragically, her mum passed away in her sleep, while in the passenger seat.
Keira said: "My mum was sitting in the back with my nephew [Shauna's son], who is only two. She asked my sister if they could stop at a service station, and my sister suggested they would stop at the next one. My mum didn't say anything like 'no, now', she didn't say anything.
"When my sister looked up in the mirror, she thought that my mum had fallen asleep. They arrived at the next service station and my sister tried to wake her up. But she didn't wake up and there was no pulse."
Shauna, an off-duty firefighter, and the emergency services that attended the scene attempted to resuscitate Colette, but were unsuccessful.
The three causes of death were Cardiopulmonary Arrest, Sepsis and Bronchopneumonia.
"My sister had initially rang me to tell me that our mum wasn't breathing," Keira said.
"By that point, I knew but I was kind of hoping that my sister had made a mistake and that our mum was just sleeping. When she called me back, I was walking halfway down the street.
"She told me she didn't make it and I just remember falling on the floor. Hearing those words, I can’t even describe it. It’s like a feeling you can’t describe. I felt like for myself my heart had stopped. It didn’t seem real and I felt numb."
Over a week on, Keira and her family have tried to come to terms with the reality of their mother and grandfather's deaths.
She said: "Me and my sister would never say we love each other, but now we tell each other constantly. Our mum was such a big part of my nephew's life. He's only two and I'm worried he won't remember her so we are going to try and do everything we can to make sure that doesn't happen.
"It has hit my Nan very very hard. I've never seen her so upset or cry before but for the past week she has been totally heartbroken and distraught. Her whole life has been turned upside down and it will never be the same again."
The sisters now hope to provide their mother a send-off that she deserves.
Keira and Shauna have launched a Gofundme page, which has so far raised more than £2,000.
Collection boxes have also been placed at their mother's favourite local pubs in the Canton area, with the reaction being "absolutely crazy", according to Keira.
But it has taught her the value of community, a sense of togetherness and most of all the importance of family, she says, explaining:
"My mum didn’t have a penny to her name, she only started her life insurance 10 months ago.
"The life insurance company has said they are unable to pay out, which is fair enough.
"I’m 21, I’ve just started my life, I have no savings. My sister has a two year old and she’s also pregnant. It’s just us - the immediate family. My Nan has just paid for my grandad’s funeral so she doesn’t have money to pay for my mum’s as well.
"The reaction has been absolutely crazy. I know that my mum had a lot of friends, but for that many people to donate - especially this close to Christmas, I cannot believe it. My mum would love to know that she was so loved. My plan was to celebrate Christmas with my mum, but now I don’t feel like celebrating Christmas at all. Christmas will never be the same without her.
"For anyone this Christmas, all I want to say is just cherish your family, your parents and grandparents. Our generation, we are always on our phones. When you are with your family, turn your phone off for an hour, spend time with your family, tell them how much you love them."
