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Mother's tribute to crash victim | |
(about 12 hours later) | |
The mother of a British charity worker who died following a road accident in west Africa has paid tribute to her "beautiful" daughter. | |
Helen O'Connell was in a taxi with her boyfriend Kentaro Taguchi, 27, in Benin when the vehicle was in a smash. | Helen O'Connell was in a taxi with her boyfriend Kentaro Taguchi, 27, in Benin when the vehicle was in a smash. |
The 25-year-old, of Stockport, Greater Manchester, was discharged from local hospital but died later. The official cause of her death is not yet known. | The 25-year-old, of Stockport, Greater Manchester, was discharged from local hospital but died later. The official cause of her death is not yet known. |
Her mother Jude Cox said: "She did more in 25 years than I've done in my life." | |
Miss O'Connell, of Heaton Moor, was a pupil of St Anne's RC High School and Aquinas College, Stockport. She later gained a 2:1 English degree at Nottingham University. | |
Miss O'Connell, of Heaton Moor, had been working as an unpaid English teacher at a school in Ghana. | Miss O'Connell, of Heaton Moor, had been working as an unpaid English teacher at a school in Ghana. |
She would have marked her birthday on 25 May, but had planned to put celebrations on hold until getting back to the UK in June. | She would have marked her birthday on 25 May, but had planned to put celebrations on hold until getting back to the UK in June. |
You may be gone, Helen, but you and that big smile will never be forgotten Facebook tribute | You may be gone, Helen, but you and that big smile will never be forgotten Facebook tribute |
Helen's boyfriend Kentaro survived the road accident on 10 May. | Helen's boyfriend Kentaro survived the road accident on 10 May. |
Her twin sister, Sally, is among those who have left tributes on the social networking website, Facebook. | Her twin sister, Sally, is among those who have left tributes on the social networking website, Facebook. |
She said Helen had lived an amazing life and was "living her dream" in Africa. | She said Helen had lived an amazing life and was "living her dream" in Africa. |
"She was an extraordinary, loving, caring person and she was my twin sister and my best friend. I'll love her forever. | "She was an extraordinary, loving, caring person and she was my twin sister and my best friend. I'll love her forever. |
"She meant the world to me and will always be with me." | "She meant the world to me and will always be with me." |
A series of messages have been left on her Facebook page from people all over the world, including children she taught in Ghana. | A series of messages have been left on her Facebook page from people all over the world, including children she taught in Ghana. |
One read: "God needed a new angel for his garden, sadly for us he chose Helen. | One read: "God needed a new angel for his garden, sadly for us he chose Helen. |
"You may be gone, Helen, but you and that big smile will never be forgotten." | "You may be gone, Helen, but you and that big smile will never be forgotten." |
Helen also leaves behind her father Michael, younger sister Alice and brother Patrick Santos. | |
Her body has yet to be flown back to England. | Her body has yet to be flown back to England. |
Ms Cox said she had been touched by the many online tributes to her daughter. | |
"I think it's a wonderful thing that people can do this," she said. "Helen was a beautiful person and a very clever girl." |
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