"Our beautiful girl is back home" say family of Preston mum and barmaid, 37, who died on Benidorm holiday
A Preston barmaid and mum-of-two who died on holiday in Benidorm is “finally home where she belongs” say her heartbroken family, two weeks after her tragic death in the Spanish resort.
Mum-of-two Rachel Kay, 37, was found unresponsive by friends at her holiday accommodation in Benidorm on the morning of Sunday, March 29.
Rachel was a proud mum to Brooke, 16 and James (who turns 13 today), and a friendly and familiar face to many in Preston from her years working at pubs in town, most recently at the Bears Paw in Church Street.
Her death was sudden and unexpected, and the uncertainty about the cause has added to her family’s anguish.
In Spain, when a death is sudden, it becomes a judicial case and family members typically need to appoint a Spanish lawyer or rely on a funeral company to apply for the release of the coroner’s report.
Rachel’s family are still waiting for answers, but say they are relieved to have her home “where she belongs”, after her body was flown back to Manchester Airport on Tuesday.
After 16 heartbreaking days, the family say they can begin making plans for a “truly special send-off for our beautiful girl”.
‘She was a character, she was our Special Kay’
Dad Mick Kay said: “We don’t know what happened yet, but we’re glad to have our girl back home, where she belongs.
“It’s been a very tough couple of weeks. We’re still in shock. But the support we’ve had from everyone in the community has been incredible.
“We can’t believe it really. It doesn’t take the pain away, but it helps ease it. It really does. We’re so grateful for everything everyone has done for Rachel.
“And now we have our girl home, we can give her the send-off she deserves. Rachel was a character, the life of the party, and we’ll be celebrating her life like she would have wanted.
“And it’s thanks to all the people that helped us with the fundraisers, raffles, tombolas, car washes, sponsored walks, donations, all the pubs that’ve clubbed together.
“Every penny has helped and over 500 people have donated to GoFundMe, so we’ve raised over £15,000 for Rachel. It really means a lot to us, to see how much she was loved by everyone.”
Fundraising events for Rachel
On Sunday, April 26, Rachel’s friends and former colleagues will embark on a 18-mile sponsored walk from Blackpool Tower to the Hesketh’s Arms in New Hall Lane, Preston.
You can find more details on the Hesketh’s Arms Facebook page.