Matt Whittaker told his fiancé that ‘life couldn’t get any better’ minutes before she underwent a c-section to birth their twin boyss.
Now the 36-year-old is planning her funeral.
Earlier this month, first time mother Rachael Galloway, 36, died after suffering complications related to a c-section just 30 minutes after giving birth to her sons Noah and Abel.
Ms Galloway, who lived in Carnforth, Lancashire, was scheduled to undergo her c-section at Royal Lancaster Infirmary but died despite doctors’ best efforts.
A devastated Mr Whittaker recalled: ‘She died bringing beauty into the world, bringing the boys into the world.
Rachael Galloway, 36, died after suffering complications related to a c-section 30 minutes after giving birth to her sons Noah and Abel Galloway-Whittaker on August 1
Ms Galloway, a business owner, was eagerly planning her wedding to Matt Whittaker with the couple becoming engaged just a week before her death
‘She was the best thing that ever happened to me,’ said Mr Whittaker.
‘On the Friday we got engaged, we ate our meal and I remember sitting there saying to Rachael, “can you believe that this is our life? Life really couldn’t get any better”.’
Recalling the day of the operation, Mr Whittaker said: ‘Rach was a star. Though she was nervous, she was strong as hell and kept a brave face throughout, right until the boys were born.
‘Then there were tears of joy, seeing them, knowing they were healthy, and seeing me give Noah his first feed.
‘She was so happy, so proud, so full of love. She had the world in her eyes when she looked at our boys.
“It’s a shame that was the last time she cast her eyes on them, but I hope she is still watching over them.
‘It wasn’t just her that died on that table that day, a piece of me did too and I will never get it back.
‘But I won’t let the legacy and the dreams she had for our boys die too. We have had to say goodbye to too much.’
He described Ms Galloway as ‘the best person I ever met’ praising her intelligence, sense of humour, caring nature, and her beauty, both inside and out.
‘She saw and brought out the best in people and I’m living proof that she could see what nobody else could,’ he said.
‘I have to make her proud and ensure our boys grow up to be the gentlemen she would have been proud of.’
Family friend Emma Jones helped set up a GoFundMe page to raise cash for Mr Whittaker and the boys, which currently stands at nearly £20,000.
The 35-year-old lettings manager described the loss of Ms Galloway as devastating and said the family is ‘absolutely broken’ by it.
‘She was really excited about becoming a mum. She also got engaged the day after her birthday, she was finally getting her happy ever after,’ she said.
A devastated Mr Whittaker recalled: ‘ She died bringing beauty into the world, bringing the boys into the world
‘Before I went on holiday I gave her a hug and said “the next time I see you you’re going to be a mummy to two beautiful boys”.
‘She was the best friend I’ve ever had, I can’t believe we’ve lost her.’
Sue Stansfield, interim director of midwifery at University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, of which Royal Lancaster Infirmary is a part, said: ‘To lose a loved one is tragic, and our heartfelt condolences go out all family and friends affected by this sad loss.
‘As we are in the process of carrying out an internal review and there is an ongoing Coroner’s investigation, we can’t comment further at this stage – except to say we will continue to support the family and colleagues involved.’
C-sections are considered to be a very safe procedure but, like any medical procedure, come with a range of risks.
One of the most common is infection, more rarely excessive bleeding, and even more rarely dangerous blood clots and damage to the internal organs.
According to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists c-sections have a maternal death rate of one per 4,200 women.
This compares to one death per 25,000 women for vaginal births.
C-sections can be planned, like Ms Galloway’s, if the mother or baby have medical conditions that make this option safer or if there are multiple babies in the womb.
Planned c-sections account for about 16 per cent of births, according to NHS data.
C-sections can also sometimes be carried out unplanned in an what are called ’emergency’ caesarean sections if complications develop during a vaginal birth. These account for about 17 per cent of births.
Caesareans, that have been denied or performed too late have been the focus of a number of NHS maternity scandals, in recent years.
