KATY FRENCHwas an Irish fashion model and socialite who was propelled into fame following a high-profile separation in 2007 and died later in the year on 6 December, aged just 24.Her January break-up with her fiancé, restaurateur Marcus Sweeney, made her a national celebrity. Sweeney apparently finished his relationship with Ms French because he objected to photoshoots in which she modelled risqué lingerie.During her fame she spoke out against cocaine, a drug she had used but claimed to have renounced. However, it has been reported that a post mortem found the substance in her body and showed that she had suffered brain damage.Ms French was born on 31 October, 1983, in Basel, Switzerland. Her family moved to Enniskerry, County Wicklow, when she was two years old and she attended the prestigious Alexandra College in Dublin.After briefly studying psychology, she joined Assets Model Agency in Dublin and helped market products for Sony Ericsson and Suzuki, as well as doing fashion work.After walking in on a photoshoot for Irish newspaper the Sunday Independent, in which Ms French was lying provocatively on a dining table, Sweeney called off the engagement, propelling the former couple to headlines in the society and gossip columns.She began to work for charities and became a regular on the television chat show circuit, talking about and often poking fun at her relationship with Sweeney. In October she took part in the reality TV show Celebrities Go Wild, revealing more details of the break-up.She died at Our Lady's Hospital in County Meath after spending five days in a coma. She had collapsed at a friend’s house in the early hours of Sunday, 2 December. Her family were by her side and she died in her sister’s arms, they said.Irish police launched an investigation into her death. Tributes were paid to the model by fellow professionals and charity workers.Edel O'Malley, director of operations at the Children's Medical & Research Foundation at Our Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin, said: "Her dedication to Crumlin was incredibly valuable. Katy gave up her time to raise awareness and promote the work of the hospital, securing funds to support services which directly benefited sick children. Katy's dedication will always be remembered by the staff here at Crumlin."A statement from her former agency said: "Katy will always be in our thoughts. She will be sadly missed by all of her colleagues and the management team of the Assets Model Agency. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family and friends at this sad time."In a statement, her family said they had been "overwhelmed" by messages of support from the public. "Although we did not get our yearned-for miracle, all the expressions of love you sent her were powerfully healing in different ways."
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