Tributes flow for Sunshine Coast mum and tattoo artist Stacey Nightingale
A father in mourning has shared a heartfelt tribute to his partner after she died giving birth to their third child.
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A Sunshine Coast tattoo artist and mother who made “every day magical” has been remembered by her partner after she died shortly following the birth of her third child.
The tribute comes after Montville tattoo artist Stacey Nightingale died on May 7 and her partner, Chris James, has shared a tribute on social media to his “best friend” and “soulmate”.
Ms Nightingale had a home birth for her second child after previously experiencing a “traumatic” hospital birth.
In a social media post from 2021, Ms Nightingale wrote the hospital birth had a “series of unfortunate events and the sheer neglect in any sort of emotional support”.
She described it as feeling like a number, rather than a “birthing human with feelings or fears”.
Ms Nightingale wrote the best thing she could do for her daughter was to show her brother come into the world through an “empowering home birth”.
Mr James said he fell in love with Ms Nightingale the day they met 13 years ago, and when she showed him her paintings, he could “feel her soul” speaking through them.
He said it was “always the best times” by her side, and described their children as “the most beautiful souls” he had ever met.
“Always striving to be better, you once asked me if you were a good mum,” he wrote.
“I remember telling you how show them magic everyday in all the little moment and they love you so much.”
Mr James wrote it was what everyone loved about Ms Nightingale, and he adored how she “saw the world in her own way”.
“You truly radiated beauty,” he said in the post.
He said Ms Nightingale wanted to “be a mermaid” when the family moved to the ocean, and how Mr James loved to watch her “frolic in joy” in the water with her mermaid tail on.
“I will miss you so much but know that I honour you and am so grateful for your love,” Mr James wrote in his post.
“Everyday you told me how lucky you were and how handsome I am.
“A love that can never be replaced.”
Mr James said he could still feel his partner, in the warmth of the sun, the cool of the breeze and see her in the glimmer of the ocean or the beauty of a flower.
He vowed to keep his partner’s spirit alive and make sure their children would never forget her.
“We had so much more life together to live and I’m so sorry,” Mr James wrote.
“I will make sure you can rest in the ocean where you belong.”
On Sunday, Mr James put together another post, wishing his late partner a happy Mother’s Day.
He described Ms Nightingale as not just an artist, but art itself, and the most special person he had ever met.
“The way you giggled every time you saw a kingfisher or a butterfly, the way you always found rainbows or light shimmering in the water,” Mr James wrote.
“The way you danced with our kids, the way you created incredible art out of nothing.
“I could go on forever about everything I will miss about you.”
Mr James said Ms Nightingale made every day magical and he was glad she was able to spend a brief moment with their “perfect” newborn.
“You have completely released all fear of death for me because when my time comes, I know I will get to be with you again.”
A ceremony will be held for Ms Nightingale.
GoFundMe donations to support the family can be made here.
Queensland Health has been contacted for comment.
A Queensland Police spokeswoman said police would prepare a report for the coroner.
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