It was an ordinary evening for Emma McGinty, a 43-year-old mother of seven from West Lothian. She was cleaning up and getting her youngest children ready for bed — the kind of simple, loving routine every parent knows by heart. But that night, everything changed.

As she climbed the stairs, Emma suddenly cried out that something felt “really wrong.” Moments later, she collapsed. Her four-year-old son had to fetch the phone. When paramedics arrived, they found she’d suffered a massive stroke caused by a blood clot that had traveled to her brain. Two days later, despite every effort, Emma passed away — surrounded by her eldest daughters, Nicole and Zoe.

“It was so sudden,” Nicole said softly. “We just didn’t expect it. It’s changed all of us forever.”

Emma’s family — including her seven children, ages three to 23, and two grandchildren — are now left to pick up the pieces. With no savings or insurance, her children started a GoFundMe page to give their mother the farewell she deserves.

Those who knew Emma describe her as “bubbly, warm, and full of love.” She had a way of lighting up any room she entered. Friends say she was the kind of woman who made everyone feel seen, heard, and cared for — the kind of soul you never forget.

Now, her laughter lives on through the voices of her children — a beautiful legacy born from love, gone far too soon.