SHE was devoted to her boyfriend and family, and enjoyed nights out with her many friends. Now Natalie Strickson has gone, leaving a gulf in all their lives.

Seemingly healthier than ever, she died in her sleep of a complication to the rare heart condition she had endured throughout her life. It was a sudden, terrible blow to her loved ones.

They have responded to this tragedy with incredible fortitude and generosity. If her family had raged against the injustice of their loss, no one would have blamed them.

Instead they have paid a most eloquent tribute to Natalie, and made donations to our Guardian Angels appeal and another medical charity in her memory.

Their strength and dignity bring to mind Gee Verona Walker, who this week publicly offered forgiveness to the two racist thugs who murdered her son Anthony in Liverpool. No cry for revenge, no desperation to blame: but no tribute could be more moving.

Natalie's family are supporting Guardian Angels after York Hospital did so much for her and gave them, in the words of her mother Jasmine, "all that time with our daughter which we never expected to have".

From the day it was launched, our appeal has brought forward deeply poignant stories, some happy, some sad. We are touched and delighted that our campaign to create a high dependency unit for sick children at York Hospital so clearly has the support of the city and beyond.

Updated: 10:22 Friday, December 02, 2005