Fatal epileptic seizure: Hawke's Bay woman Jess Reid's death leaves fiance bereft

Jess Reid died suddenly at home, leaving her fiancé Alex Bradley bereft. Photo / GiveALittle

A young Hawke's Bay woman has died suddenly at home from a suspected epileptic seizure - leaving her fiance alone and facing the crippling financial result of her death.

Jess Reid, 23, died suddenly at her Hastings home on Friday.

Her death leaves her fiance Alex Bradley facing life without his partner and the prospect of losing the home that was their "dream property".

Reid was 16 when she met Bradley, and pair quickly became "inseparable", according to a Givealittle page set up after her death.

The "reptile crazy" couple were engaged in December 2018 in Auckland Zoo's Galapagos tortoise enclosure and their wedding was arranged for March 2021.

They moved into their "dream property" in June of this year, with plans to settle down and raise a family.

Reid's death has left her family and friends devastated, with the Givealittle appeal saying that: "Words cannot describe the pain Alex and the family are feeling right now. Life will never be the same. There are no words."

Jess Reid was "a well loved part of the PETstock family". Photo / Hawke's Bay Today

A message posted to Reid's Facebook page asked friends to celebrate her life: "We ask you all to celebrate how fantastic and crazy Jess is by remembering and talking about her for years to come."

"She was taken from the world too soon, and deserved much more time than she got."

The Givealittle appeal, started by Reid's boss, Gaylene Holley of the Hastings branch of PETstock, seeks to raise enough funds to allow Bradley to keep the home he shared with his partner.

"He desperately wants to stay in their house but even with a lodger it's going to be touch and go," it states.

"Unfortunately due to a life insurance stand down period there is no help coming following her death."