A trainee lawyer who spent nearly five years in a Haslemere hospital after a cardiac arrest left her with brain damage was a “vibrant and kind” woman who “lived her life to the fullest”.

Sincere condolences were passed to the family of Amber Fountain as tributes were paid at an inquest to a woman who defied the odds for so long.

The “highly intelligent” Amber was returning home from a Bear Grylls experience in Birmingham with a friend on February 16, 2019 when she suffered a roadside cardiac arrest on the M27.

The arrest led to brain damage while long spells in Queen Alexandra Hospital and a care home near Havant followed before she was transferred to Holy Cross in June 2020.

But after five years of “excellent care” the decision to cease daily treatment was made by her family and loved ones, with Amber passing away in The Rowans Hospice in November 2025, aged 31.

Christopher Wilkinson, senior coroner for Hampshire, told the family the decision to end Amber’s care at Holy Cross “was ultimately the right one”.

The inquest heard that her partner of more than a decade, Daryl Thompson, loved her “so much” and recalled her “infectious” laugh and wonderful smile. She was “full of life and excitement’ about planning their life together, with Amber’s parents calling her a “vibrant and strong daughter.”

While the cause of the cardiac arrest was never fully established, a prolonged QT period – an abnormal delay in the heart’s electrical recharge – may have played a part.

Mr Wilkinson recorded a verdict of death by natural causes before highlighting the “tenacity, love and kindness” showed by Amber’s loved ones.

He said: “I can only begin to imagine how difficult it was – I would like to express my sincerest condolences to you all.”