A 'fun-loving' young woman who planned her own funeral knowing she may not awake from an induced coma received the send-off she bravely asked for as mourners gathered to say goodbye.
Bethannie Booth sadly died at just 24 years old just weeks after developing cold and flu symptoms. The popular primary school worker sent out texts to friends and family with instructions for her funeral - including brightly coloured bucket hats - after she began to suspect she wasn't going to make it.
The 24-year-old was put in an induced coma, having developed sepsis after contracting Strep A, and sadly died surrounded by her family on March 31. On Friday afternoon hundreds dressed in vibrant clothes attended Bethannie's ceremony at Llwydcoed Crematorium, reports WalesOnline.
READ MORE: Join the FREE Manchester Evening News WhatsApp community
Her mum, Leanne Booth said her daughter chose the theme due to her zest for life. She said: "She just loved life, loved festivals and also had Ibiza booked for her holiday in July. [She] just loved wearing the bucket hat with quirky sunglasses."
Paying tribute to her daughter, she added: "She was a beautiful young lady with a beautiful soul, fun-loving, caring and lived her life to the full. As a family we called her the weekend offender. As a nursery teacher, Bethannie took her job very seriously and professionally. I can honestly say I've never ever met someone who loved their job as much as her. The children adored her; she was well and truly loved by them all."
Bethannie was the youngest of three daughters and was dearly loved by her older sisters, Megan, 25 and Nia-Ffion, 27, and younger brother, Corey, 10. She was an auntie to Parker, three, Caled, four months, and Myles, nine weeks. Her sister Megan previously told WalesOnline that Bethannie loved her nephews very much. She also described how, while Bethannie was in hospital, the children at the school she worked at all wrote cards and messages to her. "The one thing they all said was how much she made them laugh," Megan said.
Dad Wayne said he, Leanne, Nia-Ffion and Megan all held Bethannie's hand when she died. They praised the doctors at both Guy's and St Thomas Hospital and the Royal Glamorgan Hospital for doing all they could to help and thanked everyone from the consultants to the cleaners.
Following her death, the family wish to raise awareness of sepsis and its symptoms. You can read about the signs and symptoms of sepsis here. A fundraiser, which has now closed, raised nearly £8,000 in her memory and went towards giving Bethannie her perfect send off.
Tributes on the page showed how much Bethannie was loved by everyone. Helen and Shaun Phillips said: "Boothy girl. You were not only my workmate but more importantly my friend. I couldn't ask for a more loyal, funny, inspirational, vivacious person who I'm privileged to call my friend. I will always miss you my darling beautiful girl. You show them up there how to party because you sure knew how to do it on Earth."
READ NEXT:
