By Broede Carmody
The family of the 20-year-old law student who died after suffering an asthma attack earlier this week say they are overwhelmed by the donations streaming in to help with funeral costs.
Hope Carnevali drew her last breath on her front lawn as family members desperately waited for an ambulance that came 30 minutes after it was called.
Hope Carnevali died the night of the storm.Credit: Facebook
Enormous strain was put on Melbourne's healthcare system on Monday night after 'thunderstorm asthma' swept through the city, with close to 2000 calls for ambulances within five hours.
At the Royal Children's Hospital there was a huge spike in admissions, with more than 480 children admitted during a 24-hour period.
'Thunderstorm asthma' patients inundated hospitals across Melbourne on Monday night.Credit: Justin McManus
Meanwhile, about 30 people were placed in intensive care across Melbourne.
Hope's friends have set up a gofundme page to help her family with funeral costs.
In less than 24 hours, more than $14,000 in donations had poured in from more than 200 people.
Friend Michelle Anne Haber said she couldn't believe the tragedy had occurred.
"Even though we weren't as close as we got older, I still remember the memories we shared as kids," she wrote on Facebook.
"My heart breaks for your whole family, you had been through so much and always managed to have a smile on your face. I will never forget you."
Hope's uncle, John Carnevali, said the family is "overwhelmed" by the donations.
"It's unbelievable," he said.
"When I heard about it, I cried. My sister [Hope's mother] is a single mum, she works hard. This [the donations] will come in handy."
Mr Carnevali said Hope's family do not blame paramedics for the time it took them to reach the family home.
However, he said emergency services should give an estimated time of arrival so families can make a snap decision on whether they should drive to hospital themselves.
Mr Carnevali said Hope was extremely kind and always thinking of others.
"Hope would want other people to not have to go through that situation," he said.
"If we can fix it or make it [the system] better, that's all we want. It's not going to bring back Hope, but it might save somebody's life."
Victorian Health Minister Jill Hennessy has ordered a review into how paramedics and hospitals responded to Monday night's mass asthma event.
The outbreak has been described as putting more strain on the health system than a mass-casualty terror attack.
At least one other person died due to the asthma outbreak.
Omar Moujalled was just a few days away from graduating from year 12 when he died due to breathing complications on Monday evening.