The sudden passing of a young girl on the brink of a new school year has plunged her family into profound grief. Zali June Breitkreutz, aged eight, tragically passed away in her sleep at her home in Townsville, North Queensland, last Monday. She was set to embark on Year 4 at St. Anthony’s Catholic College this month.
It’s been reported that Zali mentioned experiencing a mild headache on the day she passed away, without exhibiting any other symptoms. The cause of her death has been identified as an intracerebral hemorrhage, a type of stroke. Her grieving family is making arrangements for her funeral, scheduled to take place at The Lakes Chapel at Morley’s Funeral Home in West End on Thursday at 2pm.
Zali June Breitkreutz, aged 8 (pictured), passed away following a brain hemorrhage while she was asleep.
Sean Breitkreutz, Zali’s father, expressed to Daily Mail Australia the profound impact his daughter’s passing has had on their family, struggling to articulate the depth of their grief.
“I just don’t know what to say,” Mr. Breitkreutz shared. “It’s simply a tragedy.”
In the wake of Zali’s death, Mr. Breitkreutz posted a poignant message on Facebook, commemorating her as a “ray of sunshine.”
“Zali was always singing, cartwheeling, and bringing laughter into our lives,” he reminisced. “Though these past days have been darker and quieter without her radiant presence, we are grateful to still have her brother Tanner by our side.”
He expressed gratitude for the outpouring of love and support they’ve received from family and friends, which has helped alleviate their burden in some measure.
Zali harbored dreams of becoming a teacher and was an avid fan of the NRL team, the North Queensland Cowboys. Her grandfather, Paul, shared a photo of her proudly sporting a Cowboys jersey alongside star player Valentine Holmes.
The devastating loss of the eight-year-old schoolgirl has left her family shattered. Pictured from left to right are parents Sean and Courtney Breitkreutz, Zali, and brother Tanner.
In a heart-wrenching social media post following Zali’s passing, Sean Breitkreutz (on the left) described his daughter (on the right) as a ‘ray of sunshine’.
Mr. Breitkreutz noted that Zali exhibited no symptoms of the fatal condition. “There was nothing that could be done, no symptoms, just a minor headache,” he shared with Daily Mail.
Attendees of Zali’s funeral are encouraged to wear something vibrant to the service, with a wake to follow at the Brothers Leagues Club in Kirwan from 5 pm.
An intracerebral hemorrhage, a type of bleeding within the brain tissue often caused by high blood pressure, was determined to be the cause of Zali’s condition. This bleeding releases blood into the brain, eventually leading to a stroke. Treatment may involve removing formed clots in the brain to alleviate pressure, but the damage from the illness can have lasting effects.
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