Aly Jenkins was a member of the Sherry Anderson rink out of Saskatoon's Nutana Curling Club. (Team Sherry Anderson/Facebook)

By Chris Vandenbreekel/CKOM News Staff

‘She was the rock’: Husband, curling community grieve loss of Sask. curler and mother

Oct 23, 2019 | 10:11 AM

A Warman family and Saskatchewan’s curling community are in mourning after the sudden death of a beloved mom and provincial curling team member.

Aly Jenkins, a lead for Sherry Anderson’s curling rink, died Sunday during childbirth.

Her husband Scott said she was excited to give birth to their third child, and second daughter.

He told 650 CKOM in an interview Tuesday that everything was fine when they arrived at Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital, but during labour Aly began feeling cold. Doctors determined amniotic fluid had entered her blood stream, setting off a rare amniotic fluid embolism.

Jenkins said Aly fought for five hours, with doctors doing everything they could to save her, before her heart gave out.

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“She was the rock, she loved everybody,” Jenkins said of his wife.

“You come in to have your baby, you expect to leave with your wife at the most.”

The baby girl, named Sydney, was placed immediately in the NICU after birth in critical condition and was provided with 100% breathing assistance due to complications.

But Jenkins said a doctor shared with him a bittersweet detail about his daughter’s health, after Aly had died.

“She said ‘I don’t know if this is the right time to tell, but I hope you find some comfort in this. I look back and when your wife passed, your daughter started to improve,’” Jenkins recalled.

Making matters worse, Sunday’s tragic day marked Jenkins’ 31st birthday. He said they had been looking forward to him sharing the same birthday as his daughter, but now the date will be tied to the loss of Aly.

Aly, 30, had been looking forward to having her third child and starting a regimen to get back in shape, so she could rejoin Sherry Anderson’s rink and start building towards a Scotties appearance.

“She was upset this year because she was going to be on mat leave, that she couldn’t get back to curl with the team,” Jenkins said.

He said he’s already had to speak with his four-year-old son about their mother’s death. The couple also has an 18-month-old daughter.

Jenkins is struggling with the thought that the children likely won’t have clear memories of their mom.

“It just drives me crazy,” he said. “They’re just so young, they won’t remember her.”

CURLING COMMUNITY, WARMAN PULL TOGETHER FOR FAMILY

The loss of Aly Jenkins, originally from Fort Qu’Appelle, led to an immediate response from curling and sports figures around the world.

Team Sherry Anderson posted to Facebook about how the rink was devastated to learn of their lead’s death.

“Aly was such a strong and determined woman in everything she did! She was so full of life, always had a joke to crack, such a compassionate woman and a true competitor on and off the ice. She loved this game we play with all her heart!”

TSN curling announcer Vic Rauter also expressed his condolences on Twitter.

“Words are not enough,” he wrote. “The sympathy of all of us at TSN curling is with you and your family.”

Scott Jenkins noted during his interview that several Warman businesses had also come forward, providing food and offering free haircuts for the Jenkins children for life.

Others committed to donating proceeds from sales towards a GoFundMe campaign for the family, which had raised over $80,000 as of Tuesday afternoon.

Jenkins said the outpouring of support has been overwhelming.

“This Warman community is unbelievable,” he said.