Transgender former taxi driver and National Lottery winner dies a week after online trolls told her

Transgender former taxi driver Melissa Ede, who became some why of a household name after winning £4m on the National Lottery has died suddenly on Saturday night. The news comes just 18 months after she picked up the whopping jackpot which tuned her fortunes around.

Ede’s fiancee Rachel Nason confirmed the tragic news and is now, along with Ede’s family, working on the funeral arrangements for the 58 year old. Melissa passed away barely a week after she had been rushed to hospital suffering from “crushing” chest pains while at home. As reported in The Sun, when Melissa was rushed to hospital she said: “I really think my time was up. My chest was crushing in. I thought, ‘this is it.’ “I told Rachel, “I love you so much. Always remember that.” After five hours of tests at Hull Royal Infirmary, Melissa was given the all clear and was told by medics that the chest pains she was feeling could be due to anxiety, stress, or being overworked. Calling the health scare a “wake up call” Melissa Went on to add “I am sat here now thinking how lucky am I. Maybe it is a wake up call to take better care of myself.” Online trolls commented on Melissa’s post which prompted her to record a video addressing their abuse after some told her that they wished she had died. Melissa said: “People saying it is a shame I’m not dead. Well, I’ve got a message to you people, there’s noting actually wrong with this ticker or my lungs, all been checked out so you’ve got me for quite a while yet so I’m sure that will make you happy. “All I wanted to do was thank the staff who took care of me and then there’s all these people wishing I was dead. “It’s like, surely you have got more to think about in life than wishing death on other people.” Melissa’s cause of death has not yet been established.

Image: Source; Flickr

Image: Author; Pittaya