Tributes flow for Redland ‘It’ girl Peta Paratene

The final wish of a popular young South East Queensland woman has been granted following her tragic death after a devastating freak seizure that was captured on CCTV as she walked beside a Brisbane road.

A young Bayside woman has tragically died after a suffering freak seizure.

A young Bayside woman who stayed in a coma for five weeks after a freak seizure caused her to fall and hit her head, leaving her with a brain bleed, has tragically died.

Peta Paratene, 29, died on Wednesday February 29, 2024, surrounded by her close family after doctors made the decision to turn off her life support.

Peta Paratene is remembered as a much loved, popular and charismatic daughter, sister and friend.

Peta’s freak accident occurred in January when she was walking along the road in the inner-west suburb of Milton when she was captured on CCTV grabbing her head and falling backward.

Peta’s family anxiously waited for her condition to improve but her health deteriorated throughout her time in hospital as she developed blood clots in her lungs, several infections and contracted Covid-19.

Her family have paid tribute to their “beautiful sleeping beauty” and have said she is now in heaven.

“She went peacefully, calmly and beautifully,” her sister, Shaylee Paratene, said.

“She was in a vegetative state and we were told it could go one of two ways.

“Her eyes would sometime open but unfortunately that was just part of her brain damage.

“All of her infections and clots contributed to her not standing a chance,” Miss Paratene said.

Miss Paratene said the decision to switch off her life support was made after many consultations with the palliative care team and neurosurgeons.

“We were told it would be cruel to not let her go and that she was getting worse rather than recovering,” Miss Paratene said.

“She had an infection they couldn’t really treat properly as she couldn’t tell them where it was.

Peta, Michelle, Walter and Shaylee.

Miss Paratene said a huge goal in Peta’s life was to see her divorced parents become friends again and for her whole family to reunite.

“Mum and dad hadn’t really spoken since their divorce so she has brought us all back together,” Miss Paratene said.

“The three of us were there when she was born and were there, all together, when she died.

“She got the peace and love she always wanted with everyone being back together,” she said.

Peta Paratene and her sister Shaylee Paratene.

Friends, distant family, colleagues, school peers and the Redland community have shared tributes to Peta.

Miss Paratene said the support and kind words she has received has made her grief more manageable.

“We have had messages from people we didn’t even know knew Peta, old colleagues and school friends she hadn’t spoken to in 20 years,” Miss Paratene said.

“It has been warming to hear stories and snippets from her life we haven’t heard before, like funny stories about her competitiveness at work.

“Leading up to her death I thought I would be absolutely miserable but hearing the stories has comforted us,” she said.

Miss Paratene said her pain ebbs and flows but Peta’s legacy has made a mark on all of the people she had in her life.

“We knew she was popular and so loved but we just weren’t aware it was to this beautiful extent and we’re getting a new insight into knowing more of who she was,” she said.

Details of Peta’s funeral were yet to be confirmed by her family.