Family pay tribute to popular Bramley mum-of-one who died after sudden stroke aged just 36

The former partner of a popular Bramley woman who died from a sudden stroke aged just 36 said "anyone would have been lucky to have her in their lives".
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Gemma Robinson - described by Carl Walker, 38, as "bubbly and loving" - had been going through her morning routine on Tuesday April 6 when she suffered a catastrophic stroke.

She was found on the floor of her bedroom by Carl and her sister Leanne and taken by ambulance to hospital.

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Gemma Robinson - described by Carl Walker, 38, as "bubbly and loving" - had been going through her morning routine on Tuesday April 6 when she suffered a catastrophic stroke.Gemma Robinson - described by Carl Walker, 38, as "bubbly and loving" - had been going through her morning routine on Tuesday April 6 when she suffered a catastrophic stroke.
Gemma Robinson - described by Carl Walker, 38, as "bubbly and loving" - had been going through her morning routine on Tuesday April 6 when she suffered a catastrophic stroke.

Tragically, Gemma's condition quickly deteriorated in hospital and she was pronounced brain dead less than 24 hours later.

Gemma leaves behind her "heartbroken" 14-year-old daughter Olivia and loving family.

In a cruel twist of fate, Gemma's sad death came after she spent years of her life as a healthcare assistant on the stroke ward at St James's Hospital in Leeds - helping to save hundreds of lives.

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Carl said Gemma had no serious physical medical conditions prior to the devastating stroke.

Speaking to the YEP, Carl - also dad to Olivia - said "she is going to be hugely missed".

Carl, a former shop manager, described Gemmas as "a bubbly, friendly and very caring person" who devoted everything to giving her daughter "the better life she didn’t have".

"She was a fighter, strong, loving and funny," Carl said.

"Anyone would have been lucky to have her in their lives."

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Gemma was an organ donor but unfortunately wasn’t able to donate to a person directly due to the circumstances of her death.

However, her organs were donated for research instead - which brought some comfort to her family at such a difficult time.

Gemma was originally from Seacroft but lived in Bramley for more than 10 years.

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On the day before she had the stroke, Carl told the YEP they had been for a walk to Bramley Fall Woods with Olivia, her sister and her nephew and everything seemed normal.

Less than 24 hours later - after not hearing from Gemma in the morning - worried Carl and Leanne distressingly found her on her bedroom floor after having to force entry to her property.

Her clothes had been neatly laid out for the day ahead with no signs of distress prior to the stroke.

He said: "It looked like she was about to get ready as normal.

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"I just tried to make sure she was warm and we waited for an ambulance."

Gemma was rushed to hospital in Leeds but Carl said her health quickly declined.

She was kept alive on a ventilator but was sadly pronounced dead just three days later on Friday, April 9.

Gemma had been an organ donor for a number of years and she will now help to save more lives following her death.

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Carl told the YEP she was very popular in Bramley and loved by many people.

He has set up a fundraiser on GoFundMe to help with funeral costs, a memorial and to provide Gemma's daughter Olivia a "nest egg" to help for a future without her beloved mum.

An original target of £100 has been far exceeded, with more than £1,700 raised in donations from her friends, family and the public in less than a week.

Carl wanted to thank the public for their support during such a difficult time.

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He explained how the money will be spent in order to help the family.

Carl added: "In relation to the fundraising, this is to help pay the funeral costs and being able to scatter her ashes as per her wishes on Morecambe Bay as she attended the Silverdale Holiday camp when she was a child and loved being there.

"Any further funds will then go towards a memorial for Gemma, hopefully in Harehills cemetery as this is where her grandmother is buried and Gemma never really came to terms with the loss of her.

"Anything left will then go to Olivia as a nest egg to enable her to have an easier time when she becomes an adult, being able to take her driving lessons, buy a car or even put a deposit on a house."

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