GLYNN COUNTY, Ga. – A Glynn County family is mourning the loss of a devoted and beloved mother of two right before the holidays.
Four days before Christmas, Mandie Stavely’s fiancé said she never woke up from her sleep. Two young kids are now left without their 26-year-old mother.
“I came home, took a shower and laid down. Everything was fine. Went to bed, woke up and she was gone,” James Wilkerson said.
Wilkerson said Stavely was at work as usual. She came home, was tired and went to bed. Then on Tuesday -
“When I tried to wake her up, she wouldn’t move and was stiff as a board and her lips were blue,” said Wilkerson. “I called 911 and they told me she was gone.”
Stavely and Wilkerson have two children together: 4-year-old Hunter, and 3-year-old Brooklyn. Stavely worked full-time and Wilkerson is a stay-at-home dad.
“It’s definitely pain for me and my kids and more so we are going to be missing her presence,” he said. “She would love like no one could ever love. She was a great woman and a great mom.”
Wilkerson said his fiancée, who was from Orlando, would light up any room. The two had lived together in Brunswick for the past five years.
“Now it’s really tough with me not working and not having a job and just being so close to Christmas and with bills to pay it’s just a lot,” Wilkerson said.
The family is now waiting on the autopsy report. They are planning for Stavely to be cremated with a service to follow.
The Glynn County Coroner said it’s an active investigation as they await the results of the autopsy.
The family has raised about $3,000 toward its $10,000 goal on GoFundMe. They say this money will go toward the service, Christmas presents for the kids as well as to help pay bills for the family.