‘She loved life’: Young mum Rita Manera found collapsed by six-year-old son

The mum was busy getting ready to pick up a new puppy for her four young children she adored. But without warning the unimaginable happened.

Rita Manera, who tragically lost her life on April 1 with her children Koby and Amelia at Amelia's preschool graduation in December. Picture: Supplied by family.

Mum-of-four Rita Manera was found by her six-year-old son collapsed on her kitchen floor the night before she was meant to be picking up her young family’s new puppy.

The next day, on April 1, Rita was tragically pronounced brain dead by doctors.

“Being April fools Day I thought is was some really sh*tty freaking joke, I think I kind of hoped for that,” her niece, Emily Egglestone told The Advertiser.

“There was nothing they could do … she was gone.”

Ms Egglestone said her loving aunty, who suffered a brain bleed, was born to be a mum and was not meant to die so suddenly and so soon.

“She finally got the life she wanted. She finally got her babies,” she said.

“At night-time I just lay there and I imagine this invisible wall or something between her kids and she’s just stuck behind it screaming to come back.”

Rita Manera lost her life unexpectedly leaving behind her four children and loving partner. Picture: GoFundMe

Rita had just celebrated her 41st birthday on March 25 with her partner of 18-years Adrian Williams and the four children they share – Jack, 6, Amelia, 5, Koby, 2 and Evie, 1.

She also had plans to pick up a Maltese Shih tzu from a local breeder.

“The last post she actually made on Facebook was a photo of all the stuff she’d gotten her puppy,” Ms Egglestone said.

“The family decided … they were going to be able to look after a puppy through this. The kids deserved him, they were excited for him as well and now he’s even more special to them.

“They picked up the puppy … and he’s been there with the children.”

Before Rita passed away she named the family puppy and now the enduring memory of her lives on in little Leo.

“The kids are so in love with him and the older ones explain to the little ones ‘it’s mummy’s puppy and we get to look after him now’,” Ms Egglestone said.

Rita Manera’s children with their new puppy Leo. Picture: Supplied by family

The last post Rita made to Facebook was of the supplies she purchased for Leo. Picture: Supplied by family

Rita loved the colour purple and elephants but most of all she loved her family.

She enjoyed hosting Christmas and caring for her father – Spanner Manera, 70, – in her Davoren Park home when he was too sick to live by himself.

Each time she gave birth up to 15 people would be in and out of her delivery room.

“She wanted to share her kids with her family,” Ms Egglestone said.

Rita Manera with her partner of 18-years Adrian Williams. Picture: Supplied by family

Rita is remembered by friends as being born to be a mother. Picture: Supplied by family

Ms Egglestone said her aunty never judged anyone.

“People could make mistakes and keep making them and she’d be there anyway,” she said.

“She loved life, loved kids. She loved her children. She tried for so long to have them. She loved her partner. She was just happy all the time.”

Rita always wanted to work in an aged care facility and found a role cooking for the elderly.

“She really loved that and would take the meals around to the elderly,” Ms Egglestone said.

Rita Manera with her eldest son Jack. Picture: Supplied by family

Rita Manera with her youngest daughter Evie. Picture: Supplied by family

Rita’s eldest son Jack heard his mum cry out from the kitchen in their family home on March 31.

When he came into the room, she was collapsed on the ground. His uncle, who was at the home at the time, called the ambulance and Rita was rushed to ICU.

“Suddenly she’s just gone and the silence that she has left is just so loud,” Ms Egglestone said.

“If someone lived on love, she would have lived forever.”

Rita was born on March 25 1983. She died on April 1 2024. She was 41.

She is survived by her partner Adrian Williams, her children Jack, Amelia, Koby and Evie, her siblings Belinda Manera, Darren Manera, Jamie Manera and Shane Manera, her father Spanner Manera, and a large loving and sorrow-filled extended family.

If you’d like to donate to Rita’s family, you can here.

Originally published as ‘She loved life’: Young mum Rita Manera found collapsed by six-year-old son