One family's world has been shattered into a million pieces after a 37-year-old mum suffered a deadly asthma attack while out celebrating her graduation from art school with friends.
Shari-Lee Bromley was a loving partner to Sean Croon, 48, and a mum to two young girls, Indigo, 7, and Sadie, 5. The young family had lived in Melbourne before moving to Byron Bay where Shari pursued her passion for art — beginning her studies this year. "It was her happy place," Sean told Yahoo News Australia.
On Friday, November 24 after her graduation dinner, some of the graduates went to the local pub to continue celebrating. After ordering her first drink, Shari went outside without her friends when a sudden asthma attack came on. She tried to control her breathing and was using her inhaler, but eventually, a passerby noticed something was seriously wrong. "I don't think she could speak by this stage," Sean said.
An ambulance arrived and paramedics started CPR, which is about when Sean got the call that Shari was on her way to Byron Bay hospital. He arrived to be by her side minutes later and medical staff told him something no partner ever wants to hear — Shari's heart hadn't been beating properly for 20 minutes.
They continued CPR while Sean sat beside her. "I held her hand and felt her respond to it," he said. They detected a faint heartbeat at this time, and Sean said he could feel "she was there" at the moment. However they couldn't get her heart beating by itself and eventually Shari passed away.
The next morning, his two daughters ran into his and Shari's bedroom as they always did, jumping into their dad's arms and asking Sean, "Where's mummy?"
That's when he told them he had "really sad news" and their "mummy had passed away".
"Indigo got it, she just burst into tears," Sean recalled of his 7-year-old. "Sadie was more bewildered, not quite getting it. We just sort of held each other and cried".
Outpouring of love and support from a devastated community
Sean describes Shari as kind and empathetic. "She was an angel," he said. "[She] was renowned for these random acts of kindness".
"The way she gave was authentic, she never did anything mean. She followed her heart [and] her passions. [She] inspires me and inspires others just to be a better person.
"I'd rather a year with Shari than 100 years with someone else. There's nothing quite like her love".
Since Shari's passing, her friends and the family's local community have stood behind Sean, Indie and Sadie. "The outpouring of love and support from this community has been unbelievable. The food and the flowers and just the love and the care has been amazing," he told Yahoo.
After moving from a two-income household to just one, and only being able to work part-time for now to take care of the kids, the community put together a GoFundMe campaign to further support Sean while he navigates this new life. One of the families at Sadie's kindergarten also donated a house to use for three weeks so Shari and Sean's family from interstate could stay close by.
Sean has since spoken to one of the members of the public who found and cared for Shari in some of her final moments outside the pub. They shared with him that while waiting for an ambulance, they had her lying down, holding her head and showing her "love and support" while Shari was fighting her asthma.
History of severe asthma
Shari was a severe asthmatic and her asthma could be triggered by certain preservatives which were difficult to keep track of. Sean explained that you wouldn't know by reading a label if a product contained the preservative because it was so obscure.
"It can be found in different food and drinks, so she can't drink champagne or white wine. She would just avoid all of that," Sean said.
Asthma attacks happened throughout her life and she was put into an induced coma when she was 19 due to a serious asthma attack. "I've been in the ambulance with her many times with the sirens screaming".
Foods are not a common trigger for asthma but, in some cases, certain food chemicals have been noted to trigger asthma symptoms, according to Asthma Australia.
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