Mason and Bailey face an uncertain future after their mother Michelle Devine and sister Theia died in a car crash on the A3 near Haslemere, Surrey – their father Ted Papworth died weeks later
Two siblings face “unimaginable hardship” after their mother and sister were killed in a car crash, followed by their father’s death weeks later. Mason and Bailey are feared to be on the brink of homelessness as their dad Ted Papworth’s property has been seized by the authorities due to the absence of a will.
Ted, left “absolutely broken” following the deaths of his partner Michelle Devine and seven-year-old daughter Theia, passed away in his sleep in March. The siblings’ grieving aunt Olivia Knight said: “They are not in a good place.”
She spoke out in support of a GoFundMe appeal, set up to assist Mason, 20, and Bailey, 18, in renting a home and covering funeral costs. Their mum, 43 year old Michelle, and Theia succumbed to injuries sustained in a single-vehicle collision on the A3 near Haslemere, Surrey, in February.
Michelle’s family described her as having a “heart of gold” and that her “greatest achievement was her children”. Her death tragically occurred just four months after her own sister died from a heart attack.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Ms Knight said: “They are too young to be dealing with it. Their grandparents are miserable because they’ve just lost two of their daughters. The family is devastated with so many losses. Michelle herself was struggling before her death because her sister had died.”
Ted and Michelle were married for 22 years and stayed extremely close despite residing apart. Ted, who was based in Spain, was “absolutely broken” following the car crash and his sister travelled from Australia to support him.
The pair dined out one evening in March and watched television before nodding off when he collapsed onto his sister, dead. His post-mortem revealed that his lungs had filled with fluid.
Describing Ted as “the most devoted dad”, Ms Knight said the man had “a broken heart” after Michelle and Theia’s deaths. Ms Knight added: “Michelle had a great sense of humour, a heart of gold and would give you her last penny. She loved all her siblings and parents so much.”
The surviving children, from Portsmouth, Hampshire, have been left with the enormous financial burden of funeral costs and no home of their own after their father’s house was taken.
To donate to the GoFundMe appeal, visit this link. More than £9,000 has been raised so far to help Mason and Bailey avoid homelessness.
The page states: “Funds raised will go towards covering funeral expenses, helping them rent a home, and also contributing to solicitor fees as they try to challenge the situation with the Spanish authorities and fight for what was their father’s home.
“We are asking, from the bottom of our hearts, for any support you can give. Every donation, no matter how small, will go directly towards helping them through this incredibly difficult time.
“If you are unable to donate, simply sharing this page would mean the world.”