Tributes have been paid to Danielle Whittaker, the ‘passionate’ and ‘reliable’ woman who died of a drug overdose on Good Friday.
Whittaker celebrated her 40th birthday on the Gold Coast on Friday with six close friends and took a cocktail of drugs that caused her to go into cardiac arrest.
Despite desperate efforts by paramedics, she could not be resuscitated. Two of her friends were also taken to 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 zest for life.
‘You were carpe diem and no f**ks were given and go for it.
“You debunked myths and stood up for the oppressed, lifted heavy things, laughed out loud and raged at the world, you created and created a storm.
‘Entrepreneurial, creative, passionate, endless energy and zest for life.’
She said Whittaker had been “fearless and invincible” and that there would “never be another you.”
She had taken a cocktail of drugs while partying with friends at a Gold Coast apartment and went into cardiac arrest on Friday evening
Another friend said Whittaker was “so loved and missed” and that she was “absolutely devastated” as the pair were meant to celebrate their 40th anniversary together.
“You were a force to be reckoned with and had so many great plans to help so many people,” she wrote.
‘Kind, courageous, sensitive, hilarious, fierce, outspoken, honest (blunt!), all those things and more – it’s been an amazing ride and I’m so damn lucky to have known you, let alone called you you’re a good friend.’
Known on her social media as a “shamanic medicine woman,” Whittaker proudly worked to “build an army of courageous, powerful, soul-driven women who are here to create change and create magic.”
Her work revolved around New Age spirituality.
Ms. Whittaker worked in New Age spirituality and was known on social media as a “shamanic medicine woman”
Paramedics tried unsuccessfully to revive Ms Whittaker, while two others were found in critical conditions and taken to hospital (stock image)
Emergency services were called to the Surfers Paradise unit on the Gold Coast just 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 others who were rushed to Gold Coast University Hospital.
“Upon our arrival, seven patients were identified, three of which were critical, one of which was in cardiac arrest at the time,” he said.
“Unfortunately, despite efforts by on-site specialists, including our High Acuity Response Unit, that patient could not be resuscitated at the scene and was declared deceased.”
One person remains in hospital in stable condition as of Monday morning, while the other has since been released.
Four other women were also assessed but did not require treatment.
Mr Ware said paramedics were ‘often’ responding to increasing incidents involving recreational drugs, and issued a sobering warning against the act.
“I would like to start by offering my condolences to the family of the 40-year-old woman who lost her life (but) I’m not going to sugar coat it – there is no such thing as a safe medicine, there is no such thing. kind of like a party drug,” he said.
‘Clearly when people buy these drugs there is an element of risk. You don’t know what’s in them, you don’t know who made them.’
Police will prepare a toxicology report to identify the cocktail of drugs used, and a report will be prepared for the coroner.
