VIDEO: Cousins of Queensburgh woman who died of Covid-19 share memories

COUSINS of Zoe Freshwater, the 26 year old teacher, who, along with both her parents died after contracting the coronavirus, which has killed over a million people worldwide, have shared how devastated they were following the tragic news.

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Speaking to the Queensburgh News a week after Zoe and her parents, Greg and Angela died, Natalie Aston (28) from Seaview, and Lynsey Richard (29) from Malvern said they were struggling to process the news that a whole branch of their family tree was gone.

Aston, a teacher like her cousin, Zoe, said the school where they both worked was much like a family, and the news of the deaths sent shockwaves through the communication group she and Zoe’s other colleagues were on.

Last goodbye

“I taught with Zoe at Highway College so the last time I saw her was at school on our break-up day (10 December). I had left school in the morning to get my nails done for my engagement shoot on 17 December and when I came back to school, she wanted to see my nails,” said Aston.

“She was so happy for me and we were both in the process of getting married so we would always talk about wedding stuff. I had walked into her classroom, where she would always have company and would be laughing away while writing down very important wedding plans in her wedding planner book that she always carried around with her. I then showed her my nails and she asked if I would still be wearing the same nails for her wedding on the 19th and I said yes.”

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Aston finishes her story recalling their goodbyes which she at the time had no idea would be forever.

“We then said our general break-up day goodbyes, wished each other the best for the holidays and I told her the next time I would see her would be on her wedding day.”

Hospital

Aston said the manner in which her cousin shared the news about her family testing positive was completely consistent with her habit of always putting other’s first.

“Zoe messaged us to inform us that her family tested positive for Covid-19. She was apologising for the inconvenience with the wedding,” she said.

“I had sent Zoe a WhatsApp but she wasn’t responding to any messages,” said Aston who said she then sent a private message to Sheldon, Zoe’s finance.

“He said he had to take Zoe to hospital as she was low on oxygen. She was self-isolating in their new flat that they were renovating and he had fetched her from to check on her. He tried Compton hospital – they turned them away. They went to St Augustine’s and were told there are no beds, Entabeni, no beds and finally she was admitted to Westville hospital,” explained Aston.

Shock

Richard shared her shock at finding out Zoe and her parents had died.

“When I was told about their passing I had to re read the message I received. I thought I had read wrong.

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“Last year we lost six Freshwater family members. We lost three in the beginning of 2020, not Covid-19 related, ” she said.

” So, losing Greg, Angela and Zoe was a huge blow to the family, and now we were told that another two family members have tested positive so we are holding them in our thoughts and prayers. We are especially holding Greg’s father, Uncle Charlie (94) in our hearts and prayers as he is taking the news worse than the rest of us.”

“The last time I saw her was on 6 December for her bridal shower. Although it was very small, it was exactly what she wanted with the people she held dear to her,” said Richard.

“The last conversation we had is something I hold close to my heart. In our family we always say I love you, no matter what and that’s exactly what we did” Although Richard said she did send her cousin messages after hearing that she had become ill, those messages remained unopened. ” I guess God wanted it that way,” she said.

Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting