Baby born to 'dead' mum

9:48am Monday 12th January 2009

Comments (5)   Have your say »

• Play Video

A Southampton ice-skating star has given birth – two days after she collapsed and ‘died’ from a brain haemorrhage.

Despite declaring her brain-dead after she collapsed at home, doctors kept the 41-year-old’s heart beating and were able to deliver her miracle daughter Aya Jayne by caesarean section.

David Phillips, one of her friends who was with her when she died, told the Daily Echo: “To Jayne, becoming a mother was the best thing in the world that could have happened to her.

Skaters hold a minute’s silence in tribute to Jayne
Members of Southampton Ice Dance and Figure Skating Club last night (Sun) held a minutes silence as the city temporary’s Christmas ice rink held its final session.

Paying tribute to Jayne, secretary Edna Boden said: “It such terrible news and a sad loss to the skating community.

“She was a long standing a very popular member of the club”.

“She took part in all the shows. We are absolute devastated. But it’s such good news about her daughter.”

Anita Curtis a friend and former member of the Southampton club, now an ice skating coach at Basingstoke, added: “She was a very good coach and always very helpful.

“She loved teaching and loved the kids and being around people. She was lots of fun a full of energy. She was full of life and desperately looking forward to having the baby.”

Ilene Long, 66, from Totton, worked as publicity officer for the club at the time.

“She was juts a lovely person. She was always chirpy and happy and loved her skating. She was such a lovely girl. It’s so tragic,” she said.

MORE ON THIS STORY IN TODAY'S DAILY ECHO