A north-east father has spoken of his shock and sorrow after his heavily pregnant fiancee collapsed and died at a family coffee morning.
Amy Wilson, 31, and her unborn son Harry – who had been due in just a few weeks – both lost their lives on Saturday.
Ms Wilson’s partner Peter Reid, her mother and his parents watched in horror as she fell at the Masonic Hall in Laurencekirk, during a Christmas fundraiser.
The couple’s two young daughters, Halle, 7, and Chloe, 2, were also there.
First-aiders fought to save eight-months pregnant Ms Wilson, of Garvock Road in Laurencekirk, and her unborn baby, but both had died before they arrived at hospital.
Last night, an investigation was under way at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary’s maternity department.
Ms Wilson, who had been unwell during her pregnancy, had been discharged from the unit just 10 days before she died.
A post-mortem examination on both mother and child – who had been due on Christmas Eve – will be done.
Mr Reid, who works at Westhill-based Bibby Offshore, said his life had flipped from fun-filled, happy and full of plans to a “total nightmare” in a matter of moments.
He said: “It was just like a normal day. We were going around the stands, as you do, and Amy sat down with myself and mum. The last thing she said was ‘I feel like I am going to faint’.
“That is what she did, she fell to the floor.
“There were first-aiders trying to give CPR but everything happened so suddenly. There was commotion and people didn’t know what to do.”
The ambulance took 20 minutes to arrive, Mr Reid said. He added: “I felt helpless seeing her just lying there. Amy turned blue very quickly and I knew there was something very seriously wrong.”
He went on: “I am at a moment in my life where I am having to wait very patiently.
“It is like a total nightmare every day. Waking up every morning, you just can’t believe what has happened. One day you are living a happy life and making plans and then you have everything taken away.”
The couple had known they were expecting a boy but had kept the news to themselves.
Ms Wilson had been taken into ARI after suffering extreme sickness and spent the first week of November in the maternity hospital.
She had been discharged after getting the all-clear and had been resting at home.
The couple met after Ms Wilson, who worked as an accounts clerk at Subsea7 at Westhill, moved north from Stockport.
“It is quite difficult to come into a small community but for Amy it was no bother,” Mr Reid said. “She had no problem making friends and she loved being part of the community.
“She loved being part of it all, doing things with the kids. When she died she was with people she loved and doing stuff she loved.
“We are now just waiting for the answer as to why she and Harry died. If there is anything that can be learned to save someone else’s life, I would like it to be known.”
A NHS Grampian spokeswoman said: “We will be carrying out a Significant Event Analysis as we do in all such events.”