Mother-of-two and midwife Ellen Rhodes was returning home to her family after a 15-year “adventure” living in Hong Kong. A few hours after the long-haul flight, Ms. Rhodes became unresponsive and could not be revived. “This all unfolded in front of her children,” her friend Jayne Jeje said on a GoFundMe page set up to support the family. For the remaining eight hours, Mrs. Rhodes “slept breathlessly in her seat.” “Although this was extremely traumatic for the family, everyone had time to say what they needed to say to her. Needless to say, they are devastated,” Ms Jeje wrote. When the plane landed in Frankfurt, Mrs Rhodes’ body remained in the German city, while her husband Simon and their two children Nathan and Emma returned to the UK. Ms Jeje said: “Helen and her family ended a life in Hong Kong of over 15 years to start a new chapter living back in the UK. “Ellen was excited and nervous about the move, but was looking forward to seeing her family back home as she hadn’t seen her family or her elderly parents since the pandemic started. Unfortunately, he didn’t get to see them again.” He described Ms Rhodes as a “one-of-a-kind gem” who was the “glue that held the family together”. While living in the Tung Chung area of ​​Hong Kong, Ms Rhodes was known as “the pulse of her community” and would be stopped in the street by everyone she knew. She became an invaluable member of a local maternity group in the area and a point of reference for members on anything medical-related, Ms Jeje said. In a tribute towards the end of the post, Ms Jeje added: “This fundraiser is to honor this wonderful woman who was loved by so many, a dear friend who touched so many people. “We can only hope she knew how much she meant to us and how her void can never be filled. How this loss is so painful and surreal. “The grief we feel is paralyzing. However, we feel lucky to have met her.” Tung Chung resident Andrew Spiers also paid tribute to Mrs Rhodes. Writing on Facebook he said: “Sadly Helen Rhodes of Tung Chung herself passed away on a flight back to the UK. She was with her husband Simon and two children. “I only knew Helen at ‘school gate’ level but she was the most caring, generous and thoughtful person. and the most chatty! Tung Chung and school pickup won’t be the same without you.”