The devastated husband of Australian woman Kelly Clarke, who tragically died during their honeymoon in Fiji, has been told he has to raise $61,000 to bring his wife’s body home.
Mrs Clarke, 24, died on Friday night two days after she had been rushed to hospital after feeling sick on Wednesday.
Her husband Chase Kelly, 28, remains in Fiji with his wife’s parents as they await a forensic report following Ms Clarke’s death.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Mr Clarke said he had received a quote to fly his wife’s body back to Australia.
Kelly Clarke, 24, died on Friday night in Fiji, where she was on her honeymoon with her husband, just two days after she had been rushed to hospital after feeling sick
The couple were married in April but held off their honey moon so they could be in Fiji for a friend’s wedding
‘We’ve got a quotation to get her back in a private plane … for $61,000,’ he said.
‘I’m just with her parents at the moment, they’ve flown over, they’re trying to get money off their mortgage.’
Doctors initially thought the young honeymooner had caught Typhoid and started her on treatment – before putting her into a coma on Friday when her condition continued to deteriorate.
But her devastated husband revealed the blood tests have come back negative for the disease.
Doctors initially thought the young honeymooner had caught Typhoid and started her on treatment
Her devastated husband revealed the blood tests have come back negative for Typhoid and she was placed into an induced coma on Friday
‘She was vaccinated in 2015 when she went to Thailand so they’ve ruled out Typhoid but the commissioner here has put in a report for a forensic autopsy to find out the cause of death,’ he said.
Mrs Clarke, who was a nurse, had told her husband she was ‘scared she was going to die’ before tragically passing away on Friday.
‘She said over the phone she was scared she was going to die and I just told her I loved her, what else could I say?’ Mr Clarke said.
‘I told her to be strong, that I was coming straight back and to rest up because she needed her strength.’
Mr Clarke described his wife as intelligent, beautiful and caring.
Tam Brown, Mrs Clarke’s sister,a nanny living in Sydney, opened a GoFundMe on Friday morning when the family realised she was not getting better in Fiji.
Mr Clarke described his wife as intelligent, beautiful and caring
Mrs Kelly’s family managed to raise $14,300 for a medivac to get her to Australia, but unfortunately the team arrived after she had passed away
‘I just told her I loved her, what else could I say?’ Mr Clarke said of the final conversation before his wife passed away
The page managed to raise $14,300 in just 21 hours – but the young woman tragically died before an Australian Medevac team were able to get to her.
The fundraiser has since surpassed the goal of $30,000, raising $33,580 for Mrs Clarke’s family and husband.
The young woman’s brother, Murray, posted a loving tribute to his sister after she died.
‘Kelly has passed away,’ he wrote.
‘She went into cardiac arrest five times in the last hour and the medivac team didn’t make it in time.
‘You (were a) beautiful girl and amazing sister you will be deeply missed,’ he wrote.
Tributes continue to flow for the young woman.
The couple were married in April but held off their honey moon so they could be in Fiji for a friend’s wedding
‘You (were a) beautiful girl and amazing sister you will be deeply missed,’ her brother wrote
‘We are so devastated to hear this news. Our thoughts are with you all at this sad time. Kelly was a beautiful girl,’ said one friend
‘We are so devastated to hear this news. Our thoughts are with you all at this sad time. Kelly was a beautiful girl,’ said one.
‘The world has lost a beautiful caring soul. Thinking of you all at this very sad time. Strength and love to the family,’ said another.
‘I am sincerely sorry to hear of such a sudden and tragic loss. My thoughts are with you and the family. This is utterly heartbreaking. Sending my deepest condolences and love to you all,’ another wrote.
The couple were married in April but held off their honey moon so they could be in Fiji for a friend’s wedding.
The young woman pictured with her father on her wedding day in April
‘The world has lost a beautiful caring soul. Thinking of you all at this very sad time. Strength and love to the family,’ said another friend
Mrs Kelly’s mother is believed to have been travelling to Fiji to be with her daughter and son in law on Friday