Transgender lottery winner Melissa Ede told trolls ‘you’ve got me for a while yet’ following a suspected heart attack – a week before her death.
The former taxi driver from Hull died aged 58 on Saturday evening, her fiancee Rachel Nason confirmed today.
Ms Ede became a multimillionaire after winning £4million on a £10 National Lottery scratchcard in December 2017 and was well known for appearing on daytime TV shows including Jeremy Kyle and Judge Rinder.
She was rushed to hospital with ‘crushing chest pains’ a week ago, but despite claiming she was unable to breathe properly, doctors said she was fine.
The 58-year-old claimed trolls had told her they ‘wished she died’ in a video posted online, but retorted: ‘First, people say it’s a shame I’m not dead. I’ve got a message for you people.
‘There’s nothing wrong with with this ticker or my lungs. All been checked out. So you’ve got me for quite a while, yet. I’m sure that’ll make you all happy.’
Melissa Ede, 58, who won £4m on a scratchcard, is pictured at the time celebrating her win. Her fiancee has confirmed she died on Saturday
Medics carried out tests after she was admitted to hospital in the early hours of last Monday, but despite what she claimed were ‘classic signs’ of a heart attack, she was told her lungs and heart were both working well and put it down to stress, anxiety or over exertion.
Ms Ede spoke out about the scare to thank the NHS and Yorkshire Ambulance Service for looking after her.
Her fiancee confirmed that funeral arrangements are being made and details will be released to the public soon.
Her family have said the funeral will be a fitting tribute to her.
She had also been forced to call out people who repeatedly referred to her as ‘he’ and not ‘she’.
She posted: ‘How big is your brain? It’s pea sized because you can’t think of anything else to say. That’s all you ever come back, ‘it’s a he not a she’.
‘Sorry to inform you but I’ve had full gender reassignment surgery which makes me a she and also, I do have a little look at people’s profiles and I’ve gone onto your profiles and seen you with your wife.
‘And all I can say is I am more of a woman than she will ever be and some of the women commenting and calling me a he, we are not going to name anybody here, but, again, I click on them.
‘There’s one sat there with a fish, the fish is actually better looking than that woman. I would rather snog the face of that fish than that woman.’
Just last month she unveiled her new look after spending £50,000 of her winnings on lip fillers, botox and new teeth.
Just last month Melissa unveiled her new look after spending £50,000 of her winnings on lip fillers, botox and new teeth
Ms Ede is pictured in her home city of Hull after a row about transgender issues
Melissa Ede is pictured with a cheque for £4million after she won it on a £10 scratchcard at the end of 2017
Ms Ede was already well-known for her TV appearances when she hit the jackpot at the end of 2017.
After she became a multi-millionaire she vowed to continue posting videos about her life to her YouTube channel, which have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times.
She memorably applied to go on a Space mission to Mars and had planned to write an autobiography.
She started living as a woman around 12 years ago and underwent gender reassignment surgery in 2011.
Ms Ede is pictured on ITV’s This Morning in January 2018 following her big win
Ms Ede claimed her four children had ‘disowned’ her after she transitioned and had previously said they would not be getting any of her money.
She famously appeared on Jeremy Kyle, which has today been cancelled indefinitely after a guest died a week after taking part, when her daughter found out she was not Ms Ede’s biological child.
‘I know we should all love our children unconditionally but they cut me out of their lives,’ she previously told the Sun.
‘They weren’t there during my hardest times and rejected me.’
Tributes from her neighbours in Hull have already come flooding in.
One person wrote: ‘So sad you always made me laugh, my love and thoughts are with her loved ones R.I.P Mel.’
Another posted: ‘Such a shock such a wonderful person deepest sympathy to Rachel and family.’
Someone else commented on Facebook: ‘How sad – she suffered so much abuse from some people (particularly on here) was just starting to achieve some real happiness in her life – RIP Melissa.’
Others hit back at online trolls slating her, with one person posting: ‘This is so sad, she never did any wrong to anyone yet so many judged her & were absolutely vile to her in comments on here in the past.
‘Words affect people, they hurt and they can cause all sorts of stress to that individual. Maybe we should all learn to be a little kinder. After all it costs NOTHING!!!! RIP, thoughts are with her friends & family today.’
Pictured: Melissa Ede, who has died aged 58 a week after complaining of chest pains
Melissa Ede is pictured before she transitioned, when she was known to friends as Les
Melissa Ede shows off her engagement ring as she holds a glass of champagne to celebrate her win in January 2018