TORONTO -- A close-knit curling community in Saskatchewan is mourning the death of a popular curler who suddenly died during childbirth.
Aly Jenkins died on Sunday afternoon after experiencing complications during the labour and birth of her third child.
The 30-year-old鈥檚 newborn daughter remains in critical condition in the neonatal intensive care unit at a hospital in Saskatoon, launched by her family.
On Tuesday, Jenkins鈥� husband, Scott Jenkins, about his daughter Sydney鈥檚 treatment. He said she鈥檚 being treated for an infection she was exposed to in utero and she鈥檚 still receiving antibiotics. However, his doctor has told him that her brain activity and sleep cycles are looking normal.
鈥淪o far everything is looking better hour by hour,鈥� he wrote.
Jenkins, a Warman, Sask. resident, is being remembered by family, friends, and her community as a devoted mother and intense competitor on the ice. Jenkins was a lead for Sherry Anderson鈥檚 curling rink before her death.
On Sunday, to Jenkins on Facebook after learning of her death.
鈥淎ly was such a strong and determined woman in everything she did! She was so full of life, always had a joke to crack, such a compassionate woman and a true competitor on and off the ice,鈥� the team wrote. 鈥淪he loved this game we play with all her heart!鈥�
Rachel Fritzler, a former teammate and close friend of Jenkins, described her as a 鈥渇ierce鈥� competitor in the rink.
鈥淲hen I first started curling with her I don鈥檛 think I ever curled with someone that competitive,鈥� she recalled to CTV News Saskatoon on Tuesday. 鈥淚 would bring some others to play and they would say to me 鈥榮he鈥檚 really intense,鈥� and I would say, 鈥楢bsolutely not. She鈥檚 intense but she鈥檚 intense when it needs to be intense.鈥欌��
Nancy Martin, another former teammate, recalled the last time she played with Jenkins in Humboldt, Sask. when they were qualifying for the famous Scotties national tournament.
鈥淭he last time Aly and I competed together, we lost the provincial title to go to the Scotties, which was Aly鈥檚 dream,鈥� she said.
Fritzler said she would miss watching Jenkins鈥� as a mother with her children.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the most awful thing, but I get to watch her kids grow up and tell them what an amazing person their mom was,鈥� she said.
Martin said she also wanted to remember her favourite things about her former teammate.
鈥淪he was honestly one of my favourite people,鈥� she said. 鈥淗er passion for life in general, she was such an amazing soul, so funny, she would be so passionate and then she鈥檇 turn around and you鈥檇 be almost falling over with laughter.鈥�
As of Wednesday morning, for Jenkins鈥� family has already raised more than $104,000 of its $250,000 goal.
鈥淚t shows how close the community is,鈥� Martin said. 鈥淚 was looking at some of the comments and posts and some of the people who donated and I know that some of those people don鈥檛 know Aly. I know they know me or they know Rachel鈥� They may not have known Aly, but it didn鈥檛 matter.鈥�
A funeral and celebration of life for Jenkins will be held at the Brian King Centre in Warman, Sask. on Sunday.
