ANOUSKA Prigg and her partner Tom Hayden had plans for their life and their young family.
A driving holiday around Australia with their daughters was the dream getaway they talked about, but for now the couple were happy watching their children Grace, 9, Morgan, 2, and Asha, 1, grow up.
Tom had asthma since he was a kid.
It was something he had manage and live with everyday.
"It was always part of our life," Ms Prigg said.
But Tom was a fun-loving 25-year-old guy who didn't like to dwell on asthma and wouldn't let it slow him down.
He certainly didn't think it would be fatal.
But on the night of November 30 last year, Tom suffered a massive asthma attack at home and died.
Still coming to terms with her partner's death, Ms Prigg said she hoped by sharing their story it would raise awareness about the importance of viewing asthma as a serious health issue, rather than just a minor inconvenience.
Ms Prigg said like many men, Tom didn't always spend much time looking after his health.
"Men don't take their health as seriously as they should," she said.
"Nothing can save Tom, there's nothing we can do now but I hope it makes people realise what can happen."
According to the National Asthma Council Australia, about one in 10 Australian adults have diagnosed asthma.
In 2008, the most recent data, 447 people died from asthma in Australia - a 16 per cent increase from the previous year when 385 deaths were reported.
However, during the decade from 1998, the overall numbers of asthma deaths have decreased by around 35 per cent.
In May, six months before his death, Tom suffered a serious asthma attack and since then had been working hard to improve his life.
He got a personal trainer and began better managing his asthma.
“If I wasn’t home, he would have died,” Ms Prigg said of the May attack.
“After that he changed his lifestyle.”
Ms Prigg said she took comfort in knowing the last few months of Tom’s were happy
“He died happy,” she said.
“If he knew in May what was going to happen to him, I don’t think he would have done anything different.
“He was just really happy with life, with his job, the kids, his family and friends.”
Now faced with the daunting prospect of life without her partner, Ms Prigg said her children and strong family support were helping to keep her going.
“I can’t imagine having to do this without such strong family support,” she said.
“It’s nice to know you are not by yourself.
“It helps me because I have children, so I have to keep going because I have a job to do.”
But it is hard to look to the future with the same kind of certainty she once had.
“It’s like Tom and I were painting a picture together and now I have to make the decision whether to finish the picture by myself or start a new one,” she said.
To help Ms Prigg and her daughters continue with life, extended family have rallied to organise a fund-raising trivia night and auction, with all proceeds to go into a trust fund for the girls’ education.
Tom’s uncle Don Steel is one of a number of family members putting the night together.
“We just wanted to do something which is going to give ongoing support,” he said.
Mr Steel said a number of great donations had already been made for the auction but businesses and individuals were still welcome to donate.
Already up for grabs in the auction are weekend holiday packages in Port Fairy and Halls Gap, golf equipment and various vouchers.
He urged anyone who would like to show their support for the family, or just have a great night out, to come along.
“It’s going to be a fun night,” he said.
The fund-raising night will be held on February 26 from 7.30pm at the Warrnambool Golf Club.
Entry is by gold coin donation.
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