The family of a 19-year-old UK taekwando champion are mourning the loss of their only daughter after she died "completely unexpectedly" in her sleep last month.
Isabelle Sava suffered a cardiac arrest while sleeping and was unable to be revived despite best efforts from emergency services, the description for her GoFundMe page read.
"There are simply no words for a loss like this. Nineteen years was nowhere near enough," the page wrote.
Sava was preparing to start her second year studying law at Queen Mary University of London and had ambitions of becoming a commercial lawyer, according to the page.
She had also worked as an academic tutor to children for more than two years and was involved in several university law societies.
Outside her studies, Sava had dedicated more than a decade to taekwando, becoming a second-degree black belt.
She competed at the World Taekwando Championships in the Netherlands in 2022, where she won a silver medal in sparring.
Sava was also involved in umpiring at taekwando competitions, and was a "trusted and valued member of the taekwondo community, giving her time and experience back to a sport that had been such an important part of her life".
In a post shared to social media, the UK International Taekwando Federation also paid tribute to Sava, describing her as "a pleasure to teach, train alongside, and know".
"She will be sorely missed by everyone who had the privilege of meeting her across the Taekwon-Do community," the post said.
"Our deepest thoughts, love, and prayers are with her family and friends during this heart-breaking time."
Sava was the only daughter to parents Laura and Ovi, with the fundraiser page describing the trio as an "incredibly close family-of-three".
"They expected to see her build her career, create her own life and experience all the milestones that should have been waiting for her.
"Instead, without warning, their entire world changed.
Th GoFundMe had been established by a friend of the family to help Sava's parents with funeral and memorial expenses, as well as other costs following her sudden death.
It had received more than 300 donations, raising more than £14,000 (NZ$32,000) since it was launched.
"Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for every donation, every share, every message and every act of kindness shown to this family," the page concluded.
"Rest peacefully, beautiful Isabelle."
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