Photo:Facebook

Paige Ruddy died on her wedding day in house fire

Facebook

A 19-year-old woman from Reedsburg, Wis., has died after a house fire took place on what was supposed to be her wedding day.

However, a house fire on the day of her wedding broke out in the residence where Ruddy had been living with her fiancé and his grandparents, who owned the home.

She was hospitalized for smoke inhalation due to the fire and died of a brain hemorrhage a day later on Wednesday.

The family told the news station that they did not believe that the house had any working smoke detectors, and urged others to double-check their own homes to keep their families safe.

Several of Ruddy’s family members and friends honored her as a kind and independent girl, who they remembered fondly.

“Her smile was unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” she added.  “She was always there to help anyone.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

”She had a big caring heart,” said friend Lily Markgraf, who graduated high school with Ruddy. “She was there for anyone who needed it, even if she didn’t like the person. If they needed her help, she’d be there to help them. I’m going to miss her for the rest of my life.”

Ruddy’s family said she had just graduated from Reedsburg Area High School in June 2022 and planned to enroll in a Vet Tech program at Madison Area Technical College this fall.

source: people.com