Groom wakes up to find new bride has died on their wedding night just hours after celebrating their marriage

A DEVASTATED groom woke up the morning after his wedding night to find his new bride lying dead next to him.

Mariola Michalowski, 38, passed away just hours after celebrating her marriage to her now heartbroken partner, 34-year-old Krzystof.

The couple, who have two children Olivier, two, and Veronica, one, wed in a small ceremony in Richmond, North Yorkshire, last Friday.

The following morning Krzystof got up to feed their daughter, believing his new wife was just asleep in bed, but returned to discover she had died.

Desperate Krzysztof called an ambulance and gave Mariola CPR.

But when paramedics arrived they told him that she had passed away a few hours ago and he needed to stop.

It is believed that Mariola suffered an epileptic fit in her sleep just hours after saying “I do”

Heartbroken Krzystof has said that their last day together was the “perfect send-off” for Mariola.

The father-of-two, from Catterick, North Yorkshire, said: “She was the best thing that ever happened to me.

“She was the kindest person. I would be stressed about life and the future and she would always tell me not to think about it and live in the moment.

“This doesn’t feel real yet.”

The couple, who are both originally from Poland, were together for six years before they tied the knot in front of their closest friends and family on Friday May 13.

They had their ceremony at a registry office before heading to a pub and then cricket club for the reception.

Some guests came home with Krzysztof and Mariola for an after party at the couple’s home and the happy bride went to bed with Olivier at around two in the morning.

Krzystof, known as Kris, said: “The day was just amazing. There was loads of entertainment and the kids loved it.

“Mariola was the happiest I’d ever seen her.

“Veronica was dancing and she was wearing a lovely white dress.

“At the after party, my father, who is over from Poland, insisted that we opened all of the wedding gifts and Mariola was so overwhelmed by everybody’s kindness.

“I followed them Mariola and my son to bed a couple of hours later.

“The next morning Veronica woke me up crying and I went to get her milk and left Mariola sleeping.

“After a while I started to think something felt unnatural.

“I tried waking her up and when I turned her over it was obvious that she had had an epileptic fit through the night.”

Krzysztof said Mariola was a loving mum and was always with their two young children.

Mariola had suffered with epilepsy for over 20 years and would have four to five fits every month leaving her unable to work.

As he prepares for life without his beloved wife, Krzysztof’s friends have set up a Just Giving appeal to raise £8,000 to help the family.

More than £5,800 has been donated by well-wishers so far to help him finish paying for the wedding and now his wife’s funeral.

Krzysztof, who works as an office manager, wants to thank everyone who has donated to help get him back on his feet.

He said: “Mariola was the kindest person, she’d never been upset or angry with anybody.

“Epilepsy is such an underestimated condition and people didn’t think she was disabled because they couldn’t see any limp or anything.

“She was a soldier and with epilepsy you can’t see it until it happens.

“The whole family and everybody loved her. She was just an angel.

“The wedding was the best send-off she could have. It was a way to say goodbye to everybody.”

To contribute to the fund set up to help the Michalowski family, visit