Ashley Stanik mourned after sudden Christmas Day death

A family has been left shattered by the sudden death of a young mum who died as her children unwrapped the Christmas presents she had bought for them just hours before.

Mother of four, Ashley Stanik, 33, tragically passed away suddenly on Christmas Day 2023,

Four Moreton Bay sisters have been left grieving in a Christmas Day tragedy where their young mother died in her sleep just metres away as they unwrapped the gifts she had prepared for them hours earlier.

Deception Bay mum Ashley Stanik, 33, had not long got out of bed on December 25 when she told her former partner, and her children’s father, that she needed to lie down.

Instead of watching her children unwrap their gifts, the under-the-weather mum had asked her former partner to film their girls’ excitement while she rested — but she never go the chance to see the footage.

Instead, as her children unwrapped the array of presents their mother had wrapped and placed lovingly under the Christmas tree, Ms Stanik closed her eyes for the final time.

Ashley’s sister-in-law, Cassandra Stanik said there had been not a single warning of what was to unfold Christmas Day and they still were not sure of why the young mum died.

“There was no indication that there was anything wrong, which makes it even harder to comprehend,” Cassandra said.

“On Christmas Eve Ashley was actually shopping for the girl’s presents.

“She had been up for a couple of hours in the morning, but went back to sleep to see if she could sleep it off.

“My brother, Kane went in to wake her around 2.30pm, but it was too late. She had already left us”.

It has been a difficult time for the Stanik family with the passing of the girl’s grandmother last year, still playing heavily on their emotions.

Deception Bay mother, Ashley Stanik on Christmas Day in 2009. Picture: Facebook.

Cassandra said Ms Stanik’s eldest daughter Jasmine, 17, was having a difficult time coping with the sudden loss her mum.

“Her grandmother passed away a year ago, and she still hasn’t gotten over that yet,” Cassandra said.

“I think the two middle girls, 12 and 8, are still in a bit of shock because they don’t seem to understand what has happened.

“They’re not showing any emotion yet, they’re trying to pretend everything is normal.

“The youngest one, 4, is still a bit too young to fully understand, but she isn’t taking it well that mummy isn’t there when she wakes up”.

Mother of four, Ashley Stanik, 33, tragically passed away suddenly on Christmas Day 2023.

The girls who are with their father, Kane Stanik, are reeling the shattering blow they were dealt on their Christmas Day.

Cassandra Stanik took to GoFundMe to help raise much needs funds to pay for Ms Stanik’s funeral and to help her daughters return to as normal a life as they can.

“We want to give their mum the best possible goodbye,” Cassandra said.

“We don’t know what to do with everything. We have never had to deal anything like this before.

“When my mother passed away it was different. We knew she was going to go because she decided she didn’t want her cancer treatment anymore.

“But this situation is a lot different”.

Mother of four, Ashley Stanik, 33, tragically passed away suddenly on Christmas Day 2023.

Cassandra said the father of the girls, Mr Stanik was on a disability pension, so he was not in a position to afford a funeral.

The girls who have been living with their mother, now face uncertainty over the ownership of the house they grew up in.

“Unfortunately the house is in Ashley’s name, so we don’t even know if we can have it changed to Kane’s name so the girls can keep living in their home,” Cassandra said.

“Kane spent most of his time at the house so he could be with his daughters.

“They made it work for the kids”.

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