Gabby Marsh (right) with her mother Kathryn, brother Jacob and sister Victoria at her aunt's 50th birthday celebration a week before she died. Photograph supplied by the Marsh family.
Gabby Marsh (right) with her mother Kathryn, brother Jacob and sister Victoria at her aunt's 50th birthday celebration a week before she died. Photograph supplied by the Marsh family.
It was supposed to be a fun night with her friends celebrating her 20th birthday - and when Gabrielle Marsh started to get a headache, no one suspected she would be dead hours later.
Photos of the night show the young Auckland woman raising a toast with her best friends, showing off the platter of food she'd thoughtfully planned and created for the night.
Two hours after those photos were taken Gabby, as she was known, was lying on the floor of her Avondale home in agony, her mother Kathryn at her side and an ambulance was on its way.
Later that night as Gabby lay hooked up to life support machines Auckland City Hospital staff delivered the heartbreaking news to her family - she had suffered a brain hemorrhage and was unlikely to survive.
The next day a decision was made. Gabby was to be taken off life support - but not until her organs had been donated.
Gabby's organs saved the lives of at least six people; her kidney, pancreas, lungs, liver and heart valves were all successfully donated.
"Of course, more than anything, we would love to have her here, but that's not to be," said Kathryn.
"But if anything good can come out of it, if she has helped people, then that's comforting."
Gabby was the eldest of three children and is survived by Jacob, 18 and 16-year-old Victoria.
Gabrielle Marsh died hours after this photo was taken. She was celebrating her upcoming 20th birthday at home with friends when she suffered a catastrophic brain bleed. Photo / Supplied
Her death was the second tragedy for her family, her father Shayne died just 17 months ago after a long illness.
"It's still not really sunken in, it was so sudden," Kathryn said.
"Shayne was sick for 14 months and we all had time to get used to the idea, but with Gabby it was the complete opposite. It's left us all a bit shellshocked."
Gabby was born and raised in Auckland, attending Mount Albert Grammar School before enrolling at Auckland University.
She was about to start her third year of a double degree in commerce and law when she died.
"She was a really good sister, she was kind, generous and she was like a second mum to me," Jacob said.
Her family described her as extremely thoughtful and loving, adventurous, caring, a "rock star academic" and a young woman motivated and driven with a lot of energy.
"She had a killer smile that came easy and often," her aunt Michelle Cliffe said.
Kathryn said she didn't know where to begin when asked what was special about her eldest child.
"She just made people feel at ease and she was easy to be around. There was something special about Gabby," she said.
After Shayne died, Gabby was a "phenomenal help" to Kathryn, stepping up to do her share of cooking, cleaning and helping with her siblings.
"She just got stuff done, she was pragmatic, hard working and so organised," Michelle said.
Gabby Marsh and her boyfriend Bradley. Photo / Supplied
Then, Gabby started to complain about having a headache.
"It was getting worse and worse," Kathryn said.
"She just wanted to lie down. Her friends left, they told her it was okay, that they would celebrate with her another time and they called Bradley to tell him."
After the girls left, Gabby started throwing up and became agitated and slurring her words.
Kathryn suspected a severe migraine, and called 111.
As the paramedics arrived - and Bradley - Gabby lost consciousness.
Doctors have told her family they believe she had a arteriovenous malformation (AVM), a tangle of abnormal blood vessels connecting arteries and veins in the brain.
It is likely she was born with the condition and there was nothing her family could have done to detect or prevent her death.
"She was healthy, she exercised, she didn't drink," said Kathryn, shaking her head.
"The specialist said it was like a ticking time bomb," Jacob added.
The family said the decision to donate Gabby's organs was easy; they knew it was what she wanted as she specified it on her licence, and she was a generous young woman.
They hoped to one day meet some of the people that Gabby's organs helped.
Gabby Marsh (right) with her mother Kathryn, brother Jacob and sister Victoria at her aunt's 50th birthday celebration a week before she died. Photograph supplied by the Marsh family.
The Gabby Marsh Scholarship
Gabby's university friends have started a Givealittle page to fund a scholarship in her name, with the support of her family.
"Gabby was passionate, fun loving and kind. She smiled easily and often. She was selfless, considerate and generous. She was someone who impacted everyone she met," her friends said.
"Gabby changed the lives of so many around her, and we dream for her character and kindness to continue changing the life of others.
"To honour her academic ability, her exceptional character and her future cut tragically short, the Gabby Marsh Scholarship will be established and offered annually to enable a young school leaver demonstrating exceptional character and service to fulfil their dream of studying commerce at the University of Auckland."
In New Zealand, more than 550 people str waiting for an organ or tissue transplant.
There is no age limit for becoming an organ or tissue donor.
There is no official donor register in New Zealand. You can indicate your wish to be an organ donor when you apply for a driver's licence or when you renew your licence. If you would like to donate your organs and tissues following your death, the word "donor" will be printed on your licence.
When you indicate your wish to donate organs on your driving licence, the organs and tissues are not specified. It's important your family understands your wishes regarding donation and also which organs and tissue you would be willing to donate.
Organs and tissues that can be donated - depending on your age and medical history - are heart or heart valves, lungs, liver, kidney, pancreas, eyes and skin (in the Auckland and Waikato regions only).
The transplant units consider a number of factors when deciding who will receive an organ. These factors can include: blood group, tissue type, height and weight compatibility, medical urgency and time on the waiting list.
Organs are only removed from a donor if suitable recipients are on the waiting list.
Number of deceased organ donors in New Zealand: 2016: 61 2015: 53 2014: 46 2013: 36 2012: 28
Causes of organ donor death 2011-2015 Intracranial haemorrhage/thrombosis: 105 Trauma (road): 23 Trauma (non-road): 30 Hypoxia/anoxia (loss of oxygen to the brain): 44 Other: 9
To find out more about organ donation in New Zealand - click here
