A man named Stephen Holden was heartbroken after discovering his wife, Linda, dead in bed.
He met Linda when they were teenagers at St Anne’s Youth Club in Accrington, but they lost touch, and Stephen was later informed of her tragic death.
However, he later saw Linda getting onto a bus with her mum, and they met up again when Linda explained why people thought she had died.
At an inquest held at Preston Coroner’s Court, Assistant Coroner Kate Bisset read out extracts from a statement written by Stephen.
Linda was diagnosed with Wilson’s Disease when she was 17, and doctors gave her six months to live.
She had been in the hospital for an extended period of time, and that’s why people thought she had passed away.
Despite Linda’s illness, the couple married and had a daughter named Stephanie when Linda was 23. Linda’s condition deteriorated over the years, and Stephen had to quit his job to look after her full-time.
Linda was twice admitted to the hospital in 2022 because she had trouble swallowing, and Stephen had to perform the Heimlich maneuver when food or tablets became blocked in her throat. She lost a lot of weight due to her inability to swallow and had to use a wheelchair.
Linda’s Cause of Death
On January 10 of this year, Stephen gave Linda her tablets as usual, and she began to choke. He performed the Heimlich maneuver, and she seemed fine. However, later that night, Stephen found Linda unresponsive in their bed. The paramedics could not save her, and the cause of death was an aspiration in the context of Wilson’s Disease.
Linda’s Family and Tribute
Linda’s family paid tribute to her after her death. She was a warm and loving person who beat the odds and met her wonderful husband Stephen.
Linda was a stay-at-home mum and housewife who loved animals and took up machine knitting.
She leaves behind her husband Stephen, daughter Stephanie, siblings Jean and Derek, and mum Anne, as well as many nieces and nephews.
Aiva Arthur
