THE family of a 45-year-old East London woman mauled to death by pitbulls last week said they were battling to come to terms with her tragic death.
Michelle Pook, the sister of Haidee Pook who died in the early hours of Friday morning after three pitbulls tore into her at a Baysville house, said it had been devastating for the family to learnof the circumstances surrounding her death.
“ was the kindest human being I know and also the most courageous,” said Pook, adding that her sister had come close to death two years ago after being gravely ill.
Pook, 49, said her parents Ray and Elaine Pook and Haidee’s daughters Roxanne, 24, and Tamarin, 22, were battling to deal with the tragedy.
Haidee had arrived at the house with two male friends, one of whom lives at the house, when the incident occurred. She died on the scene after sustaining bites to her neck, stomach and waist.
“Haidee has had her difficulties and she bravely overcame them and in the last few years she was extremely ill, but she brought herself back,” said Pook.
“She has always been very petite, but when she was so ill she lost a tremendous amount of weight.”
Pook, a registered nurse, who arrived in East London on Sunday from Australia where she has been working, said she had had a special bond with her sister, whom she described as a “fragile bird”.
“I last saw her three weeks ago and she was doing fantastically. She was my only sibling and I feel lost. I sent her a whatsapp asking how she was doing and she read it moments before the dogs attacked.
“She was an amazing mother to her girls, who are shattered by her death. They were very close to their mom. We thought we would lose her through illness and when she got better we felt like we had been given a second chance, so now we feel robbed.”
Pook said Haidee, who matriculated from Hudson Park High School in 1986 and who loved fly fishing, camping and animals, had undergone nursing training at Frere Hospital and worked as a nursing assistant at St Dominics Hospital four or five years ago.
She said her sister lived at her parent’s Beacon Bay home and had been too weak to work as a result of her ill health. Pook declined to discuss the details of her sister’s illness.
“We are trying to comprehend what happened. It is such a huge tragedy.”
Haidee’s school friend Charne Pendock said her school chum was a very happy and social person.
“She was always so helpful and everyone got on with her.”
Surfer Ed Peinke described his old school friend as “a very gentle soul”.
“She was very soft-hearted and kind. I feel so sorry for her girls.”
Following the ferocious attack in which the two men Haidee was with were also bitten, three pitbull terriers were removed by the SPCA.
The SPCA’s Lionel Taylor said two of the dogs – an adult male and female – were still at the SPCA. He said police had authorised that the third dog – a puppy aged about seven months – be returned to its owners who had collected it last Friday.
Taylor said he was awaiting a court decision regarding the fate of the two dogs.
Police spokesman Captain Stephen Marais said an inquest had been opened into the attack.
Pook’s funeral service will be held tomorrow at the Stirling Baptist Church at 2.30pm. — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
Pitbulls: family speaks out
Michelle Pook, the sister of Haidee Pook who died in the early hours of Friday morning after three pitbulls tore into her at a Baysville house, said it had been devastating for the family to learnof the circumstances surrounding her death.
“ was the kindest human being I know and also the most courageous,” said Pook, adding that her sister had come close to death two years ago after being gravely ill.
Pook, 49, said her parents Ray and Elaine Pook and Haidee’s daughters Roxanne, 24, and Tamarin, 22, were battling to deal with the tragedy.
Haidee had arrived at the house with two male friends, one of whom lives at the house, when the incident occurred. She died on the scene after sustaining bites to her neck, stomach and waist.
“Haidee has had her difficulties and she bravely overcame them and in the last few years she was extremely ill, but she brought herself back,” said Pook.
“She has always been very petite, but when she was so ill she lost a tremendous amount of weight.”
Pook, a registered nurse, who arrived in East London on Sunday from Australia where she has been working, said she had had a special bond with her sister, whom she described as a “fragile bird”.
“I last saw her three weeks ago and she was doing fantastically. She was my only sibling and I feel lost. I sent her a whatsapp asking how she was doing and she read it moments before the dogs attacked.
“She was an amazing mother to her girls, who are shattered by her death. They were very close to their mom. We thought we would lose her through illness and when she got better we felt like we had been given a second chance, so now we feel robbed.”
Pook said Haidee, who matriculated from Hudson Park High School in 1986 and who loved fly fishing, camping and animals, had undergone nursing training at Frere Hospital and worked as a nursing assistant at St Dominics Hospital four or five years ago.
She said her sister lived at her parent’s Beacon Bay home and had been too weak to work as a result of her ill health. Pook declined to discuss the details of her sister’s illness.
“We are trying to comprehend what happened. It is such a huge tragedy.”
Haidee’s school friend Charne Pendock said her school chum was a very happy and social person.
“She was always so helpful and everyone got on with her.”
Surfer Ed Peinke described his old school friend as “a very gentle soul”.
“She was very soft-hearted and kind. I feel so sorry for her girls.”
Following the ferocious attack in which the two men Haidee was with were also bitten, three pitbull terriers were removed by the SPCA.
The SPCA’s Lionel Taylor said two of the dogs – an adult male and female – were still at the SPCA. He said police had authorised that the third dog – a puppy aged about seven months – be returned to its owners who had collected it last Friday.
Taylor said he was awaiting a court decision regarding the fate of the two dogs.
Police spokesman Captain Stephen Marais said an inquest had been opened into the attack.
Pook’s funeral service will be held tomorrow at the Stirling Baptist Church at 2.30pm. — barbarah@dispatch.co.za
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