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Nov 30, 2023

Young woman dies playing cards with family after having plate put in her leg

A young, healthy woman has died suddenly while playing cards with her parents

A young, healthy woman has died suddenly while playing cards with her parents after a family dinner. Daniella Jade Duchatel, 26, went into cardiac arrest on Sunday in Brisbane, Australia just one month after she had a metal plate inserted in her leg during an emergency procedure. Doctors are investigating a working hypothesis that after the surgery a blood clot formed and travelled up to the 26-year-old's lung, causing a fatal pulmonary embolism.

Daniella was otherwise fit and healthy when she suddenly collapsed at the family dinner table last Sunday.

Her frantic mother, Kay, attempted to give her daughter CPR after she collapsed but was unable to revive the young government worker.

Mrs Duchatel announced her daughter's tragic passing on Facebook on Tuesday.

"It is with the greatest sadness that I inform you all that our daughter Daniella Jade Duchatel passed away peacefully last night," she wrote.

"We will update you all with funeral details in the coming days. Please give us some time to come to terms with our loss."

The young woman's tragic death came just one month after she tripped and broke her leg, tearing some ligaments, while walking home from meeting friends.

She had a plate inserted into her leg during emergency surgery and had been recovering at her parent's house when she went into cardiac arrest.

Doctors are working with the hypothesis that after the surgery a blood clot formed and travelled up to the 26-year-old's lung, causing a fatal pulmonary embolism. The family are awaiting the results of an autopsy to confirm.

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Friend Janis Michel posted a heartfelt tribute to Ms Duchatel on Instagram, saying she was struggling to "comprehend the pain and sadness". She said she would go "gallivanting" around the world in honour of her late friend.

"Your love and kindness was so pure and being around you made me want to be a better person," she wrote.

"The time spent with you have been some of the happiest moments of my life, from falling asleep on the sofas watching friends to fighting off frogs in the rainforest.

"I cherish it all and will forever remember our amazing memories and time together.

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"I love you my sweet angel. Rest easy, and I will see you again. For now, like you told me, I will go galavanting the world for the both of us. I miss you so much my sister."

A friend of the family Chantelle Lay, who has known Ms Duchatel for 10 years, has started a GoFundMe page to raise money for the family.

"Her family would appreciate your financial support at this time," she wrote.

"It allows them to be home, to take the time to mourn the loss of their daughter and to help pay for costs associated with Dani's funeral."