THOUSANDS of pounds have been raised to give a Colchester mother who spent a year in hospital with Covid the send off "she deserves".

Nicoleta Tuna, from Colchester, died on May 10. 

Her husband Mike Tuna subsequently launched a GoFundMe Page to help pay for her funeral and it has already raised £7,495. 

On the page, Mr Tuna explained how Nicoleta or known as ‘Nico’ by her loved ones, was a wonderful wife, mother, daughter and friend, who touched the lives of those around her.

She is leaving behind two beautiful small children, her husband, parents, and friends.

The page said: "Nico has dedicated all her life to all of us and she fought till the last moment of her life.

"We are all devastated by Nico’s passing and we want to give Nico the memorial she deserves; to have the opportunity to honor her memory and say our last goodbyes."

Gazette: Strong - an old photo of Nicoleta Tuna with NHS staff in 2022Strong - an old photo of Nicoleta Tuna with NHS staff in 2022 (Image: Newsquest)

The page beat its target of £6,000 in a matter of days and Nicoleta is expected to be laid to rest later this month. 

The brave mum of two spent a year in hospital after she caught Covid in October 2021 aged 30. 

When she contracted Covid, she was 36 weeks pregnant.

Her condition was so severe that following an emergency C-section, she was put into a coma before being transferred to Royal Papworth Hospital’s critical care unit for mechanical respiratory support.

After undergoing further care, Nicoleta was woken from the coma in 2022.

In November 2022, the courageous mother received an applause from NHS ward staff who cared for her, as she joined her husband Mike, son Eduard, and daughter Thea, who were aged six and one at the time.

At the time, Nicoleta spoke to The Gazette about an emotional goodbye as she was able to finally leave the hospital with her family.

Gazette: Family - Nicoleta Tuna and her family leaving the hospital in 2022Family - Nicoleta Tuna and her family leaving the hospital in 2022 (Image: Newsquest)

When she was first admitted, Nicoleta couldn’t speak any English and the staff helped her learn.

One staff member at Papworth paid tribute to Nicoleta on the Go Fund Me page saying: "I'm so heartbroken to hear of your loss.

"She was such a fiercely strong person and a beautiful soul."

If you would like to donate to the fundraiser, head to gofundme.com/f/donate-in-memory-of-flori-nico.

At the time of writing, the cause of Nicoleta’s death is unknown.