Emma Sophios was two days into a holiday in Kythera when tragedy struck, with the Queensland mother of two passing away to the devastation of her loved ones.
The 47-year-old had planned to spend over a month with her family on the island, though things took a turn for the worst when she began convulsing after lying down to rest at a family member’s home.
Despite the efforts of paramedics, she could not be saved.
“She landed over there… laid down at the family house, laid down and that’s it,” Sophios’ partner Evalyn Hart told the Daily Mail.
Hart said Sophios had experienced health issues in the past but that her death had come as a total shock to her friends and family.
The IGA worker had two children, a 22-year-old daughter and 18-year-old son.
“She was a bit of a centrifuge in their lives, and selfless in her own life. She worked at the IGA as a checkout person and lots of customers adored her,” Hart said.
‘She was a glowy, warm person who remembered people’s stories and remembered little details of their lives. She had a gravity.’Robert George, Sophios’ former partner and father of her two children, also paid tribute.
“Though Emma and I went our separate ways in life, she will always hold a profound place in my heart for the incredible role she played in bringing our children into this world. Her passing is an unthinkable loss,” he wrote.
Friend Kendyll Rivers also paid respect to Sophios, describing her as “a shining light in the lives of those who knew her”.
Rivers has created a GoFundMe page for Sophios’ family to aid them in supporting the family in this difficult time and covering funeral expenses.
