Emily Hall
Emily Hall has been left a widow after her husband, Matthew Hall died from heatstroke over the weekend, just three weeks before giving birth to their first child.
While riding in the Beerburrum State Forest on the Sunshine Coast, Matthew, a Virgin pilot, started to feel ill, confused and extremely hot.
With temperatures hovering in the low 30s, paramedics arrived to assist the 30-year-old, but by the time the rescue helicopter landed Matthew’s health had deteriorated and his organs were shutting down.
Paramedics attempted CPR but were unable to revive him. Seven News reported Matthew’s body temperature climbed to 42 degrees Celsius in the lead-up to his death causing his organs to shut down.
Matthew’s devastating death comes just weeks before the birth of his first child, a son, with high school sweetheart and wife, Emily.
Emily took to Instagram to share a tribute to her late husband.
‘I can’t fathom life without him but my strength is knowing he will live through his son,’ Emily wrote. ‘I will love him enough for the two of us and I will make sure I do Matt proud and be the best mum to him. I love you [Matt] with all of my heart and all of my soul and I’ll miss you every single day.’
Matthew’s family and friends have left touching tributes on his social media.
‘He was a gentleman, a great pilot and a pleasure to work with,’ one user wrote. ‘No one ever had a bad word to say about Matt. Such a nice guy, a beautiful couple. And Emily will be the most wonderful mum,’ another post read.
With temperatures set to reach the mid to high 30s throughout the week in NSW and Queensland, Matthew’s tragic death shows heat-related illness is not limited to the elderly and the very young.
Family and friends of the Hall family have set up a Go Fund Me site for those wanting to donate to Emily and her unborn son.
This article first appeared on New Idea.
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