A mom of four tragically passed away on Christmas day, casting a shadow over the festive joy. As her kids joyfully unwrapped their presents, they were confronted with the stark reality of loss. At the same time, an unexpected wave of online criticism added an agonizing layer to the family’s grief.
During the holiday season, the air is filled with warmth and joy as families come together to celebrate love and create lasting memories. Children eagerly anticipate unwrapping their gifts, while parents and elders bask in the happiness of seeing their younger family members cherish the festive moments.
However, for one family of six, the promise of a joyous festive season took a profoundly tragic turn, shattering the customary joy and plunging them into an unforeseen and life-altering upheaval.
Amid the anticipated warmth of Christmas, a day traditionally reserved for familial joy, four children found themselves forever entwined with the heartrending loss of their mother. In Queensland, Australia, Ashley Stanik’s untimely passing occurred while her kids excitedly unwrapped their presents on Christmas morning.
Sharing the heart-wrenching account, Kane Stanik, Ashley’s grief-stricken husband, recounted that his wife had woken up on the morning of December 25, 2023, feeling unwell. “We just kind of slept into about 8.30, then the kids had enough so they come in, woke me up. [Ashley] had a drink and that, I had a quick talk to her,” narrated Kane.
Subsequently, Ashley informed him that she was going to rest for a while and requested that he record the children opening their Christmas presents for her to enjoy later. Unfortunately, that anticipated moment never materialized.
It was mid-afternoon when Kane made the grim discovery of Ashley lying unresponsive in bed. Describing the harrowing moment, he shared that he was horrified and in shock. He performed compressions until his arms gave out, rendering them almsot immobile by the time the ambulance arrived.
The challenge escalated when he had to break the devastating news to his four children. “I pulled them aside across the road and just let them know, had a cuddle and cry,” recounted the heartbroken father. “And you know, took them down to Maccas, and that just to get them away so that they didn’t have to see anything.”
Ashley’s mother, Frances Edwards, received the devastating news while abroad and hurried home to support Kane and her grandchildren. Edwards said she was overcome with shock and grief and struggled to come to terms with her daughter’s sudden death.
The mother of four was only 33, and her untimely demise prompted a coroner’s investigation into the cause of her death. Her husband asserted that she had a history of stomach issues and an enlarged spleen. However, he also mentioned that the autopsy yielded inconclusive results.
The family grapples with the mystery of Ashley’s passing, relying solely on the symptoms she exhibited on the fateful morning. Frances, Ashley’s mother, recalled, “She said that she had like a cold for a bit rundown and was just excited about Christmas.”
In the aftermath of Ashley’s sudden and as yet unexplained death, the family found themselves grappling not only with grief but also with vicious online criticism regarding the circumstances surrounding her passing.
Kane, voicing the family’s anguish, revealed that they faced belittling comments online, including false accusations about Ashley being a drug user and overdosing. He shared that his 15-year-old daughter showed him these hurtful remarks.
The dad of four openly acknowledged his past struggles with substance abuse and time spent in prison, explaining, “We lived a bit of a [colorful] life before the kids, so we just cut our whole network off, family, kids. That was it.”
Despite their challenging past, he maintained that the couple was clean at the time of Ashley’s death. Kane stated that they hadn’t used anything, not even alcohol, just smoking. He emphasized, “Money goes to our kids, we don’t do pokies, we don’t drink, we don’t do nothing. Kids, that’s it. That’s our life, mate.”
As the family awaits further test results that could take months, they find themselves navigating life without their beloved Ashley. Kane expressed, “Yeah bro, that’s all we can do, one step forward every day, mate, push on. Yeah.”
A GoFundMe page has been created to cover Ashley’s funeral expenses and support her husband and children. As of January 10, 2024, AUD 14,456 ($9,692) has been raised from the AUD 30,000 ($20,110) goal.
The Stanik family’s tragic story has garnered mixed opinions online. While some people have shown support and shared messages of condolence, others have raised questions about Ashley’s sudden demise. “If she was a drug user and had a history of taking drugs 💊 then why would anyone care about her?” said one user.
“A terrible thing to have [happened]. The whole thing does seem a little suspicious though,” wrote a second user. “Why is her death a online topic and on this show. What you guys give them a five hundred buck cheque ? And yeah we only smoke ?.$50 packs of cigs 😂😂😂your show is cheap crap [sic],” noted a third commenter.
“This was so sad to watch, Christmas will never be the same, condolences to the whole family,” added a fourth user. “Happening so often now .not covid I wonder what else it could be [sic],” wondered another user. “[Heartbreaking] especially when they can’t give you a reason why,” opined yet another netizen.