Hayley's story
Why Butterflies Rising was created
My name is Hayley, and Butterflies Rising was created from love, loss, and a promise I made to my mum, Collette.
On 28th December 2019, my world changed forever. My beautiful mum, Collette, passed away at just 59 years old. She had bravely battled stage 4 lung cancer, and against all odds, her cancer was almost gone. But tragically, the flu took her away suddenly and unexpectedly, just as she was starting to recover.
Read Hayley's full story
I cared for her throughout her illness, in hospital, when she was at her most vulnerable and bedridden. Every day, I brushed her hair, held her hand, and made sure she always felt loved, safe, and dignified.
When the time came, she passed away in my arms. It was the most painful yet precious moment of my life. And when she was laid to rest in her coffin, I lovingly did her hair and makeup myself, the final act of care I could ever give her. In that moment, I knew this was what I was meant to do.
Before losing my mum, I had run a successful aesthetics academy for over 20 years, helping people feel confident and cared for. But after she passed, my purpose changed completely. I wanted to help families walking the same path I had, to give them comfort, understanding, and the gentleness I knew was missing.
I began working for a large corporate funeral firm to learn more about the industry. But what I saw there was often cold, rushed, and impersonal, the complete opposite of what grieving families needed. I knew then that funeral care could and should be different.
That's when Butterflies Rising Funeral Care was born.
Every loved one who rests with us is treated with gentleness, dignity, and love, just as I treated my mum. Every family who walks through our doors is met with warmth, understanding, and the assurance that their loved one is in caring hands.
“When I lost my mum, I made a promise… that no family would ever feel alone, and every person would be cared for as if they were my own.”
For Collette — forever our butterfly
