The mother of a schoolgirl, 15, who died from cancer just weeks after taking her ‘knight in shining armour’ Trent Hodkinson to her formal, has paid a heartbreaking tribute.
Hannah Rye, a high school student from the Hunter Region of New South Wales, died at the weekend following a two-year battle with Ewing’s Sarcoma.
Taking to Facebook to share the devastating news, her mother Charlii Croese said ‘You have now received your angel wings’.
‘I can’t believe you are gone, your smile was so contagious it would light up the room,’ Ms Croese said on Monday.
Hannah Rye, a high school student from the Hunter Region of New South Wales, died at the weekend following a two-year-long battle with Ewing’s Sarcoma
‘You are the strongest, funniest and most amazing girl I have ever met. You kept me fighting when I wanted to give up.
‘Han, I can’t thank you enough for everything you have done for me.’
Hannah’s death came after she took Newcastle Knights halfback Trent Hodkinson to her Kurri Kurri High School dance in July – a night she described as ‘one of the most magical nights I’ve ever had’.
Taking to Facebook on Monday, her mother said ‘this world is never going to be the same without you’.
Taking to Facebook to share the devastating news, her mother Charlii Croese said ‘You have now received your angel wings’
‘You are the strongest, funniest and most amazing girl I have ever met. You kept me fighting when I wanted to give up,’ Hannah’s mother said on Monday
‘You had a special place in everyone’s heart that had the privilege to meet you,’ Hannah’s mother posted
‘You had a special place in everyone’s heart that had the privilege to meet you,’ she said.
‘You were the first person I could talk to about what was going on in my life and the only one that understood what I was going through.
‘No more pain and suffering, Han. Spread them wings.’
Her sister, Annaliese, also posted a tribute to Hannah on Facebook on Monday night.
‘I will hold you in my heart until I can hold you in heaven.’
Hannah Rye (left) died over the weekend after suffering from Ewing’s Sarcoma for two years
Hannah (right) was escorted by Newcastle Knights halfback Trent Hodkinson (left) to her Kurri Kurri High School dance in July after meeting at a charity event
Tributes have poured in for Hannah on Facebook from friends and family
Hannah was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare form of cancer that caused tumours to grow around her spine, in October, 2015.
She endured rigourous chemotherapy treatments but relapsed in May and was told her condition was terminal, which her mother said was devastating.
A big Newcastle Knights fan, one of her final wishes was to attend her school dance with her favourite player, Trent Hodkinson.
The former Knights player met the teenager at Kick for Kids – a program where he would dedicate his conversions to a sick child and write their name on his kicking tee.
When Hodkinson heard Hannah’s cancer had returned, he wanted to help out.
Hannah was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare form of cancer that caused tumours to grow around her spine, in October 15, 2015
Hannah’s sister Annaliese posted a tribute to Hannah on Facebook on Monday night. ‘I will hold you in my heart until I can hold you in heaven.’
‘She’s so brave. She’s such a strong girl, you wouldn’t know she was going through this,’ he told media.
Her mother Racheal Rye said it was ‘like Cinderella and her knight in shining armour’ when he picked her daughter Hannah up from their home in the Hunter Valley.
‘It was absolutely a magical moment when Trent turned up with a big bunch of flowers at our house. A perfect night,’ she told the Daily Telegraph.
‘No girl could have asked for a better date. He was a perfect gentleman. He stayed for as long as she needed and helped cut the cake.’
Hannah was the envy of all her classmates when she arrived at the Kurri Kurri High School winter formal on Wednesday night with the halfback on her arm.
Hodkinson also helped cut a two-tiered cake alongside his date at the event that was moved forward because Hannah may not live to the end of the year.
Hodkinson, who is an ambassador for Give Me 5 for Kids, which raises funds for children’s hospital wards across Australia, shared a selfie taken on the way to the formal on his Instagram story.
Ms Rye said the eight-year NRL veteran, who met Hannah last March, was a ‘genuinely gorgeous person’ whose actions made a difference.
‘Hannah has been incredibly unwell – you wouldn’t believe that just a few days ago she couldn’t get out of bed. It was a very big deal for her and she’s now resting,’ she said.
Hodkinson shard a selfie with the teenager, taken on the way to the formal, on his Instagram
The teenager was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare form of cancer that caused tumours to grow around her spine, in October of 2015