Fiancé pays tribute to young mum Nicola Rigby who died suddenly five months after birth of first child

Aug 1 2012 by Lorna Hughes, Liverpool Echo

THE fiance of a young mum who died just five months after the birth of their first child said he would “miss her smile forever”.

Nicola Rigby, 26, was found dead by her fiance Mark Wilson after he returned home from celebrating his 27th birthday.

Devastated Mark said “beautiful” Nicola, a member of the ladies’ team at Vauxhall Motors FC, had complained of tiredness and occasional stomach and head aches since having an emergency Caesarean section during daughter Lily’s birth in February.

On a day out to Chester Zoo on Friday, July 20 she began to feel worse.

After going home to rest, Nicola – who attended St John Plessington Catholic College in Wirral and worked as a supervisor at JJB Sports in Cheshire Oaks – said she was feeling much better.

Reassured, Mark went out for a birthday celebration, keeping in regular contact with her by phone.

But when he returned home later that night he made the terrible discovery that she had died at their home in Ellesmere Port.

Mark, who was due to marry Nicola in 2014, said family and friends were still in shock and were waiting to find out the cause of her death.

An inquest has been opened and adjourned by Cheshire coroner Nicholas Rheinberg.

Mark said: “Nicky had had all her usual doctor’s checks and everything was fine so we still don’t really know much at the moment.

“She was such a caring person and never ever had a bad word to say about anybody.

“She was extremely friendly, she loved having fun – all her university friends from the University of Central Lancashire will vouch for that.

“But she was also such a good mother and Lily loves her so much.

“Everything was moving so smoothly and this was just so sudden.

“She is an angel now but I will miss her smile forever.”