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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
Damon Cronshaw

Kylee's gift of life as five police came to pick up her organs: 'it was a good tribute'

WATCH: Kylee Enwright walking in the hospital

It was Kylee Enwright's smile and eyes that captured husband Paul's heart.

"She was one of those people who lit the room up - a very stunning woman," Mr Enwright said.

"It wasn't in a movie star way. She didn't walk into a room like she was better than anyone else, but people would come to her straight away and say g'day.

"She had an infectious smile and the best eyes."

Mrs Enwright, 43, had been in John Hunter Hospital's neurological ward for about two months, after flying home from Thailand where she suffered a terrible brain injury on holiday.

She had been making good progress, but died unexpectedly last week.

Kylee Enwright's funeral will be held on September 1 at Beresfield. Up to eight people will benefit from her organs. Picture supplied
Kylee Enwright on a bus in Paris. Picture supplied.
Kylee Enwright before and after the fall in Thailand. Pictures supplied
Paul and Kylee Enwright at Sydney Airport before departing for Thailand. Picture Facebook
Kylee Enwright at the resort pool in Thailand before her accident. Picture Facebook
Paul and Kylee Enwright on their flight home from Thailand. Picture by 7News

"It came as a total surprise. She had been going well in hospital. She was walking around, talking, making people laugh," Mr Enwright said.

"She still had problems with her speech and memory, but we were looking at which rehab facility was going to be best for her."

Part of her skull that was removed during surgery in Thailand due to swelling was put back in an operation at John Hunter.

"Things were going forward. Then she had a catastrophic brain bleed. It was unsurvivable."

Kylee Enwright's funeral will be held on September 1 at Beresfield. Up to eight people will benefit from her organs. Picture supplied

He was told this kind of secondary haemorrhage can happen to brain injury victims, sometimes "12 months to two years down the track".

Mr Enwright wants his wife to be remembered.

"She touched people's hearts. She was my soul mate - we did everything together," he said.

Her funeral will be held on September 1 at Newcastle Memorial Park at Beresfield.

The Enwrights, of Singleton, flew to Thailand on May 27 for a two-week holiday near Phuket.

Mrs Enwright fell off a half-metre high balcony and hit her head on the ground after a few drinks on the first day of their holiday.

Their travel insurance company refused to cover her medical bills due to an alcohol clause in the policy, but a GoFundMe campaign raised more than $200,000 to bring her home.

Several seats were removed from a Thai Airways flight to make space for her stretcher bed.

Mrs Enwright was an organ donor.

"It was something we both believed in. We can't take them with us, so we wanted others to benefit," Mr Enwright said.

When her organs were removed at the hospital, five police came to pick them up.

"They turned all the sirens on and screamed out of there, with traffic controls to get green lights all the way so there's no stops.

"The lungs went to St Vincent's [hospital in Sydney], the rest went to Williamtown Airport to go to their destinations.

"It was quite surreal. It seemed almost like a presidential convoy, going out of that hospital for about half an hour, organ after organ."

Her kidneys went to two different recipients and liver to one or two people, as it can be split. Her lungs went to one person and her heart valves will benefit four people.

"It was a good tribute to be rushed out of the hospital with bells and whistles for her organs," he said.

Mr Enwright said the "healthcare she received was second to none".

Kylee Enwright in Paris. Picture supplied.

"Within five weeks, Kylee was running the ward. She had them all laughing and in stitches," he said.

"At least half a dozen of the staff were quite deeply affected by her death."

The couple, who ran a pest control business, met at a pub dating night on the Sunshine Coast.

Mr Enwright had cologne on. "She said I smelled nice," he said.

"We met again at a pub at Mooloolaba. From that night, we'd been together for 19 years. I could probably count on my hand the nights we spent apart."

The funeral service will be held at 10am and the burial at midday.

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