Untimely and sudden death of influencer Raechelle Chase leaves daughter to raise her younger siblings

When fitness influencer and mum-of-five Raechelle Chase died suddenly, her family were in shock.

At the time, Raechelle's eldest daughter, Annaliese Chase, known as Anna, led the tributes to her. She said her mum sacrificed so much to give herself and her siblings an exciting life and also managed to achieve every goal she set for herself.

She said: ”She was supportive, kind-hearted and always had the best advice for us. She was a wildly driven woman with ambition and has inspired millions of people around the world. I miss her immensely and that love won’t ever fade."

Raechelle, who was 41, died in October. Along with Anna, she also left behind children Kingston, Dior-Rose, Carlos and Jax, who are aged between 18 and seven.

Since her death, Anna, who is herself a mum, has moved back in to her family home to help her dad raise her younger siblings. Anna told New Zealand news publication Stuff that she will remain in the family home until all of her siblings are adults who are ready to move out.

“I’d rather honestly be devoting my time to helping everyone get through it,” Anna said in the interview, “I feel like that’s my role as a big sister.”

At the time of Raechelle's death, her second eldest daughter Dior-Rose also left a tribute to her late mum online. She wrote: “Love you more than anything you beautiful soul, rest easy, love you forever. Holding you with me always.”

Dior-Rose recently marked her 17th birthday, but the occasion was understandably different and difficult. Anna reflected on memories of her childhood and her mum, and said she did her best to make the day special for her younger sister. "Every birthday, every Christmas she just made so magical. None of us knew how she (Raechelle) managed to make things such a dream.

"It was just so extreme and they’re memories we will never forget. I’m trying to learn from her and do the same for the kids . . . but it won’t ever be the same.”

Raechelle Chase was a 41-year-old fitness influencer and bodybuilder from New Zealand. Her Instagram page listed several of her accomplishments, including being a Ms Figure Olympia 2011 competitor. In fact, she was the first New Zealander to qualify for an Olympia body building event.

'No answers' over mum's death

She was best known for posting inspirational content relating to health and fitness, and in particular staying fit as a single mum. In the months leading up to her death, she became a model and graced the covers of magazines such as Oxygen Magazine, a US-based women's fitness based publication. She also offered online fitness mentoring advice for others who wanted to get fit like her.

Anna said despite her mum's success in the industry, and her huge social media following, for Raechelle the most important role was being a mum. “She’d just be devastated she left the little ones in the world without her because she really was their guidance,” she said.

When Raechelle's death was announced, no cause of death was publicly announced, and Anna has said that five months later the family still "have no answers" as to what caused the seemingly healthy mum and grandma to die. She added that she hopes a coroner’s inquest will give herself and her family the answer they need. 

Anna, who is mum to four-year-old daughter, Savannah, has given up work to be able to commit herself to raising her young siblings full-time. Her focus is on ensuring that her younger siblings can continue with their childhoods as normally as possible, rather than her own grief.

“There’s definitely days where things are just much more difficult,” she said. But, she added that she hopes her mum would be proud of her, and how she is helping to take care of everyone.