My 12 year old daughter died of a broken heart.

By Ellen Coughlan and Ann Cusack for Mailonline

09:01 March 19, 2023, updated 09:46 March 19, 2023

A grieving widow will celebrate Mother’s Day with a charity walk for her daughter who suffered grief-induced convulsions after her father’s death.

Faye Smith, from Sheffield, lost her daughter Gabi in 2013, exactly two years to the day her husband took his own life.

Doctors believe the seizure, which killed her while she was bathing, was triggered by the stress of losing her father.

The 56-year-old mother of two is now planning a memorial walk this Mother’s Day weekend in memory of her daughter and says that walking has offered her solace and support during her grief.

The walk will take in some of Gabi’s favorite places, and it’s the last walk she took with her mother and brother Zach, now 26, just six days before she passed away.

Faye Smith, from Sheffield, with her daughter Gabi, who died aged 12, and her son Zach, who is now 26
Faye Smith, from Sheffield, will celebrate Mother’s Day with a charity walk for her daughter who suffered grief-induced convulsions after her father’s death.

Faye, who formed the group Hope Walking, said: ‘Gabi loved to walk, she loved the outdoors, just like I did.

“Walking has become my therapy over the years and on the 10th anniversary of losing Gabi, we will walk and remember her with love.”

Gabi’s world was shattered when her 47-year-old father took his own life after battling alcohol addiction. About a year later, at age 11, she had a severe seizure, out of the blue.

Faye said: “We were driving home one night after dropping off her brother, Zach, at a birthday party and all of a sudden she was thrown backwards out of her car seat and slumped forward onto the dash.”

‘Her lips were blue, and her eyes were rolling back. I rushed her to the hospital and for a while they thought it could be epilepsy.

But tests suggested it was something called nonepileptic seizure disorder (NEAD). It’s rare and the doctors said it was probably triggered by the trauma of his father’s death.

There is no cure for the disorder, but Gabi responded well to therapy and overcame her pain, began to make friends again, and Faye felt that she was returning to the bright and happy child she had been before the trauma.
On March 16, 2013, the two-year anniversary of her father’s death, Gabi (left) drowned in the bathroom on what started out as a normal Saturday morning.
Tests suggested Gabi had something called non-epileptic seizure disorder (NEAD), which is a rare condition and doctors said it was likely triggered by the trauma of her father’s death.

There is no cure for the disorder, but Gabi responded well to therapy. She got over her grief, she began to make friends again, and Faye felt that she was returning to the bright, happy child she had been before the trauma.

But on March 16, 2013, the two-year anniversary of her father’s death, Gabi drowned in the bathroom on what started out as a normal Saturday morning.

Faye said, ‘Gabi hadn’t come out of the bathroom so I banged on the door. When she didn’t answer, I broke down the door. We tried to revive her and she was rushed to the hospital, but it was too late.

Faye said: ‘Nothing can prepare you for the death of a child or ease the pain. But I wanted to honor Gabi’s memory.

In 2016, Faye went on a solo tour of Australia. It was a trip she had promised Gabi they would take together and she took Gabi’s teddy bear, Fudge, with her.

Faye, who formed the group Hope Walking, said Gabi “loved walking” and that “it’s become therapy over the years.”
On the 10th anniversary of Gabi’s loss, the group will walk and remember her fondly
Faye is planning a walk from Ashford in the Water to Bakewell and back on the Monsal Trail, which was a favorite of Gabi’s and the last walk she did with her mother and brother just six days before she died.

She said: ‘Gabi and I used to talk about all the animals we wanted to see, so I was marking them as I went. I saw an echidna, a kangaroo, a wallaby, a Tasmanian devil, all in the wild.

“And every time, he was like, ‘Gabi, look, I’ve seen it!'” I think she knew he was doing everything for her.

Faye, who runs the Keep Your Fork communications agency, returned to Sheffield feeling energized and positive, and was already making more plans in memory of Gabi.

Next Mother’s Day weekend will mark 10 years since Gabi’s death.

In 2016, Faye went on a solo tour of Australia. It was a trip that she had promised Gabi they would take together and she took Gabi’s teddy bear, Fudge, along with her.
Faye traveled Australia in memory of her daughter and saw everything they had planned to see together.
Walking has become an important part of Faye’s life, and over the years, different friends have joined her.

What is nonepileptic seizure disorder (NEAD)?

Nonepileptic seizures can look and feel like seizures caused by epilepsy.

However, they are not actually caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain, like epileptic seizures.

Nonepileptic seizures occur when the brain is unable to control specific thoughts, memories, emotions, or sensations.

This could be related to stress or trauma that has occurred.

Symptoms include:

People lose control of their body.

Jerking or other movements of the arms and legs

Lose consciousness

Insensitive

change in breathing

Source: The Brain Charity

Faye is planning a walk from Ashford in the Water to Bakewell and back on the Monsal Trail, which was a favorite of Gabi’s and the last walk she did with her mother and brother just six days before she died.

It is being organized with the help of the Sheffield 40s Ramblers Group, which Faye joined four years ago to help her with her recovery. The group is raising funds for the England Coast Path Appeal.

Faye said: ‘Throughout the years and the challenges I’ve faced, walking has helped me heal and grow.

‘It’s become such a big part of my life, a form of therapy, and over the years I’ve been joined by different friends; some walk to overcome grief or divorce, menopause or health problems. Some have empty nesters and free time.

“Gabi loved to walk and I will be thinking of her every step of the way, giving me hope, strength and a newfound confidence in myself.”

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