Tributes have poured in for Danielle Whittaker, the “passionate” and “trustworthy” woman who died of a drug overdose on Good Friday.
Celebrating his 40th birthday on the Gold Coast with six close friends on Friday, Whittaker ingested a cocktail of drugs that caused him to go into cardiac arrest.
Despite desperate attempts by paramedics, they were unable to revive her. Two of her friends were also taken to the hospital.
Friends and family have flooded her social media pages, with one woman calling Whittaker “the best of friends.”
A woman who tragically died of an overdose on her 40th birthday has been identified as Danielle Whittaker (pictured)
“The best of friends, loyal, trustworthy, a friend in all seasons, keeper of secrets,” she wrote.
‘You were always there for me, for all of us. So full of energy and joy of life.
‘You were carpe diem and you didn’t care about anything and move on.
‘You broke myths and stood up for the oppressed, you lifted heavy things, you laughed out loud and got angry at the world, you cooked up a storm and created them.
‘Entrepreneurial, creative, passionate, infinite energy and joy for life.’
He said Whittaker had been “brave and invincible” and that “there would never be another you”.
He had swallowed a cocktail of drugs while partying with friends at a Gold Coast apartment and went into cardiac arrest on Friday night.
Another friend said Whittaker was “very loved and missed” and was “absolutely devastated” as the couple were due to celebrate their 40th birthday together.
“You were a force to be reckoned with and had so many incredible plans to help so many people,” he wrote.
‘Kind, brave, sensitive, hilarious, fierce, outspoken, honest (straight!), all those things and so much more – it’s been an incredible journey and I’m so lucky to have met you, let alone called you. You’re a close friend.’
Known as a ‘shamanic healer’ on her social media, Whittaker proudly worked to ‘build an army of brave, empowered, soulful women who are here to create change and make magic.’
His work revolved around New Age spirituality.
Ms Whittaker worked in New Age spirituality and was known as a ‘shamanic healer’ on social media.
Paramedics tried unsuccessfully to revive Mrs Whittaker, while two other people were found in critical condition and taken to hospital (file image)
Emergency services were called to the Surfers Paradise unit on the Gold Coast shortly after 11pm on Friday after a woman was reported unconscious.
Queensland Ambulance Service Inspector Mitch Ware said paramedics identified seven patients at the scene, including the deceased 40-year-old woman and two other people who were rushed to Gold Coast University Hospital.
“Upon arrival, there were seven identified patients, three of whom were in critical condition, one of whom was in cardiac arrest at the time,” he said.
“Unfortunately, despite attempts by specialists to reach the scene, including our High Acuity Response Unit, the patient could not be resuscitated at the scene and was pronounced deceased.”
As of Monday morning, one person remains in the hospital in stable condition, while the other has already been discharged.
Four other women were also evaluated, but did not require treatment.
Ware said paramedics were “frequently” responding to escalating incidents involving recreational drugs and issued a sobering warning against the act.
“I want to start by expressing my deepest condolences to the family of the 40-year-old woman who lost her life (but) I won’t sugarcoat it: there is no safe medication, there is no such thing.” kind of like a party drug,” she said.
‘When people obviously buy these drugs, there is an element of risk. You don’t know what’s inside them, you don’t know who made them.
Police will conduct a toxicology report to identify the drug cocktail used and a report will be prepared for the coroner.