A father has shared the unimaginable heartbreak of telling his children a devastating lie after their mother's sudden death from a condition she mistook for indigestion.
Donna Pennington, a vibrant 44-year-old teaching assistant and mum-of-two from St Helens, Merseyside, tragically passed away in her sleep just hours after complaining of what she thought was a severe bout of indigestion.
Her husband, Darren Pennington, returned from a short errand to find his beloved wife had died. He then faced the impossible task of telling their children, 12-year-old son Oliver and 9-year-old daughter Myla.
The Heartbreaking Conversation
"I had to sit them down and tell them Mummy had been poorly and had gone to heaven," Darren recounted, his voice heavy with emotion. "But in their innocence, they asked if she was coming back. I couldn't bear to say no. So I told them she wasn't coming back today."
This agonising white lie was the only way Darren could process the unthinkable reality for himself, let alone explain it to his young children.
A Tragic Misdiagnosis
Donna had suffered from what she believed was indigestion for several weeks leading up to her death. She had even visited her GP, who reportedly prescribed her medication for a stomach ulcer.
In a cruel twist of fate, a post-mortem examination revealed the true cause of death: arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC)—a genetic heart condition that causes abnormal heart rhythms.
The family is now urging others to be vigilant:
- Do not dismiss persistent chest pains or discomfort as simple indigestion.
- Insist on thorough investigations for heart-related symptoms.
- Be aware of family history of heart conditions or sudden death.
A Family's Plea
Darren and the children are now navigating life without their cornerstone. They are raising funds for CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young) in Donna's memory, hoping to prevent other families from enduring similar tragedies.
"She was the rock of the family," Darren said. "We are utterly lost without her. If sharing our story saves just one life, then some good will have come from this nightmare."
