A Sheffield family is raising money to bring a beloved mum-of-two home to the Philippines after she died suddenly just 16 months after moving to the city to start a new life.

A Sheffield family's dream of building a new life in the UK has been shattered after a devoted mum-of-two died suddenly just over a year after relocating from the Philippines.

Jasmin Dela Cruz Jimenez, 39, from Ecclesfield, had dropped her children off at school before collapsing with a medical emergency.

Jasmin with husband Donell, daughter Jazmhielle, 13, and son Donzhielle, eight. | Contributed

placeholder image — Jasmin with husband Donell, daughter Jazmhielle, 13, and son Donzhielle, eight. | Contributed

Despite the best efforts of doctors and emergency surgery, she died from an aortic aneurysm, leaving behind her husband Donell, daughter Jazmhielle, 13, and son Donzhielle, eight.

The community are now rallying around the family to help fulfil one final wish - returning Jasmin home to the Philippines so she can be laid to rest among her loved ones.

Leading the appeal is friend Natalie Reaney, who met Jasmin through Ecclesfield Primary School after the family moved to Sheffield in February 2025.

Natalie said: "It was a privilege to have met and become good friends with Jasmin.

“She was such a warm, kind, interesting, intelligent, funny lady who absolutely adored her family."

Jasmin embraced every aspect of her new home, from visiting Chatsworth house, to learning about British culture from fellow parents at the school gates. | Contributed

Jasmin, her husband and their two children had moved from the Philippines to the UK and had quickly fallen in love with life in Sheffield.

Natalie said: "They'd come over here and dreamed of staying here permanently."

She said Jasmin embraced every aspect of her new home, from visiting Chatsworth House, to learning about British culture from fellow parents at the school gates.

Natalie said: "What attracted me to her was how she wanted to learn everything about our culture and how we did things.

"She wanted to know what foods we eat, where we like to visit, where we'd go for meals or drinks.

"She just really loved everything about it over here."

"I remember she was so happy they had experienced snow for the first time," said Natalie. | Contributed

Among the many memories Jasmin leaves behind are the afternoons spent at Rother Valley Country Park teaching her son, Donzhielle, to ride a bike.

Since her death, he has finally learned to ride on his own - a milestone his loved ones wish she could have seen.

The 39-year-old quickly became a familiar face in the Ecclesfield community, where friends remember her infectious smile and positive outlook.

Natalie said: "She was always smiling, really friendly, warm and had a really good energy about her. Just a really lovely, kind person."

The tragedy came without warning. Natalie had seen Jasmin at school on the morning she died.

She said: "Jasmin brought her son to school, we were chatting normally and said, 'See you later'.

"She'd gone home and was having breakfast. Her sister-in-law and brother-in-law, who also live here, had gone round for a drink and a cup of tea.

“Then she became very unwell suddenly and collapsed. She said she couldn't breathe and they phoned an ambulance."

Natalie said: "Her husband spoke to her about ten minutes before it happened and she was absolutely fine, it came as such a shock."

Jasmin was rushed to hospital, where surgeons fought to save her during an operation lasting around 11 hours.

Jasmin and her husband at one of their favourite spots in Rother Valley. | Contributed

As the family comes to terms with the devastating loss, they are also facing the hefty cost of repatriating Jasmin back to the Philippines, where her parents, sister and wider family are waiting to say goodbye.

Although they plan to return to Sheffield afterwards and continue the future they built together, Natalie said taking Jasmin home is incredibly important to those she leaves behind.

The fundraiser, which aims to raise £5,500, has already received an outpouring of support from the local community.

To donate to the fundraiser, follow this link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/jasmin-dela-cruz-jimenez

The response has included a colour run organised by Ecclesfield Primary School, where pupils, parents and staff came together to support the grieving family.

Ecclesfield Primary School organised a colour run on Friday June 19where pupils, parents and staff came together to support the grieving family. | Contributed

Natalie said: "Donzhielle’s got all his school friends supporting him.

"They arranged a colour run on Friday at school, everyone wore white T-shirts and they did the run, and the whole school clapped for him."

Friends are also preparing for a sponsored walk and cycle around Rother Valley Country Park next Sunday to raise further funds towards bringing her home to the Philippines.

Natalie said: "I think her husband Donell thought he'd be alone in this, and we wanted to show him that he isn't.