The heartbroken parents of a Birmingham teenager who tragically died during a cinema trip have paid tribute to their ‘bubbly, caring and resilient’ daughter.
Kasey-Lei Greene, from Sutton Coldfield, had been residing with her family in Abu Dhabi for 14 months when she tragically collapsed and passed away at the Vox Cinema at Yas Mall in the United Arab Emirates capital on Thursday, September 4.
The 13-year-old had gone to the cinema with a friend after giving her dad, Marc, a hug at home at around 5.30pm, but collapsed an hour later while watching a film at the venue. Despite the best efforts of medics who worked on the teen for two hours at the cinema and at hospital, nothing could be done to save her life. It is believed she died from a cardiac arrest.
Marc, Kasey’s mum Manda and brother, Kian, returned to the UK for Kasey’s funeral last Friday (October 3). Pink and black ribbons were tied along the funeral procession route from Marc’s mum’s house in Erdington to Erdington Abbey in Sutton Road, where more than 600 people turned out to pay their respects. Many more also watched a live stream of the funeral, including Kasey’s friends and classmates back in Abu Dhabi.
Marc, 37, said he had agreed for Kasey to have her friend, Aria, around for a sleepover on Thursday, September 4. And because she had been ‘good around the house and with her brother Kian’, Marc agreed for the friends to go to the Vox Cinema in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, reports Birmingham Live.
Their final moment together as Kasey asked her friend Aria to take a picture of her grabbing a hug with her dad Marc, just before setting off to the cinema (Image: undefined)
READ MORE: Tragic teen stabbed and dragged into Ford Focus for 2 miles before being dumped
READ MORE: Heartbroken parents of murdered schoolboy demand killer’s ID be made public
He arranged a taxi for them and Kasey embraced her father – tragically for the final time. He said: “Aria called me from Kasey’s phone and said ‘Kasey’s passed out’. I literally ran to the car. The cinema is not even half a mile from my house. She had passed out in the cinema watching the movie.
“Over there, they are on it straight away. They had a defibrillator and an ambulance crew had come in 10 minutes and had a machine on her.
“I was literally screaming, holding her hand. I let them do what they could, but I could see she had gone.
“Officially, her death is a cardiac arrest. She had had a few issues before.”
Reflecting on their final moment together before Kasey departed for the cinema, father Marc said: “She just grabbed me and said to her friend ‘quick, take a picture of me and my dad’. She didn’t check it.
“She held me so tight like she knew that was the last time I would ever feel or hear her voice again.
“Normally she would plan it and add filters and redo it if it wasn’t right – but not this time. That hug blows my mind.”
Kasey-Lei Greene striking a pose as a happy teenager whose life tragically ended while on a trip with her friend to a cinema in Abu Dhabi (Image: undefined)
The Greene family had relocated to Abu Dhabi in July 2024, and had purchased a property off-plan which was under construction for them to occupy next year.
They had travelled there to ‘try and give the kids a better life’, having visited Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates on holiday over recent years. Describing Kasey, her parents said she was ‘bubbly, very outgoing but also dippy’. She used to ‘really love little kids’.
Marc said: “She had very different circles of friends and did try and bring people together. The priest at her funeral said she was sent as an influencer and influenced people to come together.
“He said the whole time he has been at that church he had never seen that turnout. There was 600 there or more.”
He continued: “She made friends very easily. From all walks of life.
Kasey was a bubbly outgoing person who made friends from all walks of life, especially in Abu Dhabi (Image: undefined)
“She would bring people home and her friends would call us aunty and uncle. Our house was like a meeting place.”
While mum Manda, 36, added: “She drew people to her. One girl came up and said ‘you’re really beautiful’. She went out and just found people.”
Kasey adored family getaways to Disneyland in Florida, trips to Spain and breaks at the caravan park in Devon.
She also relished sitting at her dressing table applying her fake tan, doing her nails and fixing her lashes. Kasey was also creating vlogs about her beauty routine before sharing them on TikTok or Snapchat.
“She was very humorous and made faces,” her dad said.
Manda said: “She used to like mugging me off. She would rob my clothes and say I was too fat for them.” Marc said ‘they were like sisters’.
The Greene family had moved to Abu Dhabi to ‘give the kids a better life’ but have been struck by tragedy as Kasey (right) died suddenly at a cinema (Image: undefined)
Manda added: “If she put her mind to do something she’d do it, 100 per cent.”
Marc continued: “But she was dippy. She went to the chippy here and ordered a potato scallop and she said ‘I don’t know what that is, I’m no good at geography!’
“She would wrap me around her finger.”
Manda added: “But behind all the dippiness, she was intelligent and tough. She always had a back-up plan for everything.”
In Sutton, the family resided in Knightswood Close, off Tamworth Road, and previously in Boldmere, where Kasey enjoyed visiting Sutton Park, spending time with family and assisting with events at her aunty Emma’s pubs.
She was also a ‘massive Aston Villa fan’ and had a keen interest in trainers.
Kasey had ‘thrived and excelled’ in Abu Dhabi after the Greene family decided to make the UAE capital their home last year (Image: undefined)
Kasey was a big fan of American rapper Travis Scott, with her dad Marc securing her golden circle tickets, described as ‘as rare as Willy Wonka golden tickets’, for his concert at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi in November, an event she was eagerly anticipating and had already selected an outfit for.
Initially, Kasey found it challenging to adjust to life in Abu Dhabi, but after the first three months, she ‘thrived and excelled’ just like Kian, with both children enjoying school.
One of the primary reasons for their move was that Abu Dhabi is considered the safest city globally, whereas back home, they would worry if Kasey went to the shops.
Kasey’s mum Manda has suffered a double tragedy.
She was back in the UK arranging her mum, Maggie’s funeral, when Kasey collapsed and passed away in Abu Dhabi. Maggie was only 65.
Kasey was described as a ‘massive Aston Villa fan’ (Image: undefined)
The day before Kasey’s funeral, 50 people went out and adorned the funeral procession route on Chester Road with pink and black ribbons, black being her favourite colour.
At Kasey’s funeral, her cousins Clio and Harrison and friend TJ from Abu Dhabi delivered emotional tributes to her.
Kasey has now been laid to rest next to her grandmother at Oscott Cemetery.
Fundraising initiative to honour Kasey
A fundraising initiative has been launched in Kasey’s honour.
The incredible floral display at Kasey’s grave at Oscott Cemetery (Image: undefined)
Her father, Marc, shared: “I have received thousands of messages. I am finding lots of comfort in people’s acknowledgment of her.
“I have been on auto-pilot since it happened. The last couple of days I think it’s got a little bit tougher.”
However, he added: “Kian’s given us strength. He’s never known life without her. It’s got to be a lot harder on him. They were very close.”
In memory of Kasey, the family have set up a GoFundMe page, Kasey’s Wells of Life, to fund water wells in Africa.
Marc explained: “This stems from her friend TJ who is from a Muslim background. When somebody dies they do something good in the world.
The Big Family Halloween Party is being held in memory of Kasey at her aunt’s pub The Diggers in Moor Lane (Image: undefined)
“So we are looking to buy three £1,500 pumps in Kenya, Tanzania and Cameroon which provide water for crops to grow food and water for 30 years.
“And 10 £150 pumps which provide drinking water for 10 to 15 years.
“Manda went on safari to Africa a ‘beautiful country’ and saw ‘first-hand’ how those pumps will help people.”
With Halloween being Kasey’s favourite time of the year, her aunt Emma is hosting the Big Family Halloween party at The Diggers pub in Moor Lane on Saturday, October 25, from 2pm to 6pm. The event will feature a DJ, party games, pumpkin and cookie decorating, and more.
There will also be a raffle with tickets priced at £4 for children, with all proceeds going towards Kasey’s Wells of Life.