Ellen May Hardwick was just 18 and had not had a seizure in a year
A healthy 18-year-old with epilepsy suffered an unexpected seizure while talking on the phone to her boyfriend. Ellen May Hardwick, 18, was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of five, but had consistently been able to recognise warning signs several minutes before a seizure to alert those nearby and position herself safely.
She had not experienced a seizure for 12 months. Father James Hardwick, 52, revealed Ellen had been eagerly counting down the days until she could submit her driving licence application.
However, on December 29, 2025, Ellen – known as Ellie amongst friends – experienced a seizure without any forewarning, an unprecedented occurrence, while speaking on the phone to boyfriend Aidan Healy, 19, triggering a fatal cardiac arrest. James, who had just left the property after bidding Ellie farewell, received a telephone call from a neighbour urging him to return immediately. James hurried home to discover Ellie's mother Paula Hardwick, 54, distraught as paramedics performed CPR.
But Ellie died rapidly from a cardiac arrest and paramedics couldn't resuscitate her, in what's known as a 'sudep' – a sudden, unexpected death in epilepsy. Ellie is survived by devoted parents James and Paula, devastated Aidan and two siblings – as James has committed himself to raising awareness about sudep, and intends to establish a charity in Ellie's name as a lasting tribute.
James, an online business owner from Chelmsford, Essex, said: "As Ellie got older, she began to grow out of the seizures - there were longer periods between them.
"We know it had been almost a year since her last one, because she wanted to start driving lessons and come off some of her medication. She had been in her room at home, laughing on the phone to Aidan - before I left, I went up to her bedroom, and she said 'see you later Dad, love you'.
"Two hours later, I got the call that she wasn't breathing. I couldn't believe it, she was just gone - just like that - we had no idea she could die just like that. I don't want to scare people, but I need people to know that this can and does happen.
" James explained how Ellie would typically recognise 'warning signs' 10 minutes before a seizure - such as things 'looking different' or her vision starting to 'flash'. This had consistently provided her sufficient time to lower herself into a safe position until the episode subsided, meaning it had never previously presented problems.
However, she suffered a seizure on December 29, at approximately 11:35am - and forensic science college student Ellie never regained consciousness. James said: "Her mum had heard her go bang on the floor, and I rushed back but Ellie had gone straight into a seizure.
"We spoke to Aidan and he said she told him 'Aidan I don't feel very well' right before it happened, this time there was no warning. " Her heartbroken family, including siblings Connor, 20, and Violet, 17, remained unaware of her cause of death until post-mortem results were received three weeks ago. She was laid to rest on April 23, following a community fundraiser which generated over £8,100 towards her funeral costs.
James said: "Ellie loved life - I used to take her fishing, metal detecting and to the arcades. She touched people when they became friends with her, and she had friends all over. And she loved Aidan to pieces.
" The family have set up a fundraiser for three charities - Essex and Herts Air Ambulance, Epilepsy Society and SUDEP Action. James is also preparing to establish a charity in Ellie's memory, while campaigning for greater awareness and research into epilepsy. He said: "I don't want Ellie's name to be lost in the past, I want it to be carried forward. " Ellie's fundraiser can be found here: https://ellenhardwick.muchloved.com
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