The Government's new ferry deal announcement is expected today and Winston Peters announces greyhound racing industry will wind down over the next 20 months. Video / NZ Herald
A woman who sparked global headlines after being abducted from a hospital as a baby has died in New Zealand aged 30 from cancer.
Aucklander Abbie Humphries was just 3-hours-old when she was taken from her father’s arms by a woman posing as a nurse from Nottingham’s Queen’s Medical Centre in the UK in 1994.
The abduction led to a 16-day nationwide search, which prompted a goodwill message from Princess Diana, before she was found.
“My parents told me all about it as I grew up, but not all in one go. It came out in bits and pieces, part of the family conversation, really.”
Abbie Humphries, who sparked global headlines after being abducted from a hospital as a baby, has died aged 30 from cancer. Photo / Karl Sundgren
The Kiwi woman said she didn’t realise the gravity of the situation until moving to New Zealand.
“We were unpacking all the boxes and I saw the press cuttings. That’s when I realised what a huge deal it was. But it didn’t stir up any emotions of horror or anything. To be honest, I thought it was rather cool.”
Humphries was diagnosed with grade four brain cancer in 2020 when she started getting headaches.
Abbie Humphries was diagnosed months after her mother died of breast cancer. Photo / Karl Sundgren
Her mother died from breast cancer only a few months before her diagnosis, and Humphries said on Facebook she thought her headaches were due to the “stress of losing Mum”.
She said she had tests and a CT scan “showed a large 5cm mass/tumour on my left side of my brain” and that she “went into surgery to remove the tumour within 24 hours”.
She told the Mail on Sunday after her diagnosis: “There is no point feeling angry or blaming anything. We have just had a terrible amount of bad luck.
Our beautiful Abbie peacefully passed away yesterday, surrounded by loved ones. She fought so hard with so much strength...
“I usually choose to look at the positive side of everything. It makes everyone feel better.”
A Givealittle page was started in June 2021 after Abbie was unable to work but faced further treatment.
The page said her surgery had removed a glioblastoma tumour and it was followed up with 30 rounds of surgery and daily chemotherapy.
Her death was announced by husband Karl Sundgren in a Facebook post, who said, “Abbie was so strong and her infectious smile will forever remain in our hearts.”
“She fought so hard with so much strength and grace for over four years and can finally rest.”
A service celebrating her life will take place in Auckland on Saturday.
