A joyful video taken just days before her death has become a haunting final memory of Barnsley mum Yvonne Ford, who tragically died from rabies after a minor scratch from a stray puppy during a holiday in Morocco. The footage, captured less than two weeks before her sudden decline, shows Yvonne dancing and laughing with two children at what appears to be an outdoor family event, as she is blissfully unaware that the scratch she received months earlier would soon claim her life.
Her daughter, Robyn Thomson, shared the clip on social media in the hope of raising awareness about the deadly virus and preventing others from suffering the same fate. “Just under two weeks before we lost mum,” Robyn captioned the clip.
“She had so much life in her. We are devastated.”
Yvonne, who was scratched by a stray puppy in February while travelling in Morocco, did not seek medical treatment at the time, thinking the injury was too minor to be concerned about.
But months later, she began experiencing headaches and soon lost the ability to walk, talk, swallow, and sleep. She passed away over the weekend.
In a public tribute, Robyn said: “She was the heart of our family, strong, loving, and endlessly supportive. No words can fully capture the depth of our loss.”
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has since issued a public warning about the risks of rabies abroad. Although human cases in the UK are extremely rare, the virus remains a threat in parts of Asia and Africa.
Dr Katherine Russell from the UKHSA said: “If you are bitten, scratched or even licked by an animal in a country where rabies is present, you must wash the area with soap and water immediately and seek medical advice without delay.”
“Post-exposure treatment is highly effective, but it must be given before symptoms appear.”
The family’s decision to share the final footage of Yvonne smiling and dancing is a poignant reminder of how quickly rabies can strike, and how a moment of joy can become a family’s last precious memory.
Her loved ones hope that by sharing Yvonne’s story and final moments, they can spare other families from facing the same unimaginable loss.