Abbie Humphries, 30, was abducted after she was born in July 1994 at a Nottingham hospital by a woman who pretended to be a nurse. Seventeen days later, she was reunited with her family. She went on to find out about her abduction, moved to New Zealand, and got married. However, in 2020, he was diagnosed with brain cancer, and, in 2024, died on Sunday, December 8, after a 4-year battle with the disease.
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"Our beautiful Abbie peacefully passed away yesterday, surrounded by loved ones. She fought so hard with so much strength and grace for over 4 years and can finally rest," reads a
Facebook post made by Humphries' husband, Karl Sundgren. He attached several pictures of their wedding, some of Humphries with her parents and siblings, all of them in a loving tribute, celebrating her life."We will be celebrating her life on Saturday 14 December from 2pm at the Sundgren house in Whenuapai. Please feel free to join us," Sundgren said, describing his late wife as a strong woman. "Her infectious smile will forever remain in our hearts," he concluded.
Many were quick to react to the heartbreaking news of Humphries' passing. "Thank you for being the very best husband to have fought alongside Abbie over these past 4 years," one user wrote. "I'm so so sorry to hear this news. Sending you and your family lots of love!" a second user wrote. "She is one of the strongest woman there is. Sending so much love to you all," a third user said about Abbie.
An Abduction And A Diagnosis
Back in 1994, Abbie Humphries was born at the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham, England, according to PEOPLE. By pretending to be a nurse, a woman named Julie Kelley abducted her and stayed with her for 17 days. Eventually, authorities found her with Humphries at Wollaton, and Abbie was reunited with her parents. Kelley was put on probation and then diagnosed with a personality disorder, according to the BBC.
Abbie grew up without knowing about her abduction. However, when she was 10, she found out about her abduction by reading some newspapers. "That's when I realized what a huge deal it was," Humphries told the Nottingham Post. "But it didn't stir up any emotions of horror or anything. To be honest, I thought it was rather cool." Humphries' parents would eventually tell her all the details about her abduction as she grew up.
Abbie Humphries eventually married Karl Sundgren in New Zealand, a country she and her family moved to when she was 10. In November 2020, doctors found a 2-inch tumor in Humphries' brain right after her mother died of breast cancer. "There is no point feeling angry or blaming anything. We have just had a terrible amount of bad luck," Humphries told the BBC. "I usually choose to look at the positive side of everything. It makes everyone feel better."
