Heartfelt tributes are flowing for a Sydney mother-of-three who died just weeks after giving birth, with her husband remembering her as “full of life”.
Cathy MacGuinness, 40, suffered a cardiac arrest at her Marrickville home on Easter Sunday, two weeks after welcoming her third daughter, Goldie.
She was rushed to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and placed in an induced coma, but died on April 25 after suffering severe brain damage caused by a lack of oxygen.
She is survived by her husband Sebastian Fletcher and their three daughters, Zoe, 7, Rosie, 3, and newborn Goldie.
Fletcher said the loss of his wife was “so heartbreaking”.
“Cathy was so full of life and loved her family and friends dearly,” he told 7NEWS on Thursday.
“She was incredibly confident and social and always left people feeling like a million dollars with her generosity of compliments, humour and warmth.”
He said she had a natural instinct to care for others and bring joy to those around her.
“Cathy was filled with creativity and would always be making cards or silly invitations or costumes, getting great satisfaction from surprising and delighting people,” he said.
“It’s so heartbreaking. She had so much left to do and give in her life. She will forever be missed by so many people who were lit up by her presence.”
MacGuinness’s family and friends have also shared tributes, remembering hercaring and vibrant personality.
Her mother, Christina, said she was “the most amazing communicator”.
“After a chat with her, you felt reassured, lighter, confident and excited for the next day,” she said.
“You knew what you said mattered to her.”
Her brother Frank said her death had “left a hole that will never be filled”.
“She was my rock, my hero and my best friend,” he said.
Close friend Jo Allen said MacGuinness made people feel valued and seen.
“She shows up with her full self, always. She lights up any room she walks into — magic in human form,” Allen wrote.
“She reads the card you gave her on the spot, just to double the love in real time. She travels across the city to walk a friend to work. She drives you home at midnight. She buys the drinks despite not drinking any. She dances like no one’s watching.”
MacGuinness had built a successful career, most recently working as head of operations at aerospace company Alauda, after roles at Microsoft and Commonwealth Bank.
Her family later revealed she had been living with undiagnosed dilated cardiomyopathy, a condition that affects the heart’s ability to pump blood.
They said symptoms can often be mistaken for everyday fatigue, particularly for busy mothers or during pregnancy.
“It’s so easy to dismiss yourself or just be like, ‘Oh, I’m just tired’. Or, ‘Yeah, I’ve been on my feet all day, that’s why my legs are swollen’ and not to give it a second thought because, as a mother, you put everybody else in front of yourself,” her sisters-in-law said.
“Don’t dismiss even the smallest symptoms … go and see your GP.”
They described the three weeks spent in hospital as a “roller coaster”, holding onto hope before saying goodbye.
“We said goodbye to the brightest spark ever,” they said.
Fletcher is now raising the couple’s three young daughters, with friends and family rallying around him.
“Like so many young families, they hadn’t yet put life insurance in place — they truly believed they had their whole lives ahead of them,” MacGuinness’ sister-in-law said.
Images: 7News
