Former Silver Fern Tania Dalton has died peacefully in Auckland, nearly a week after suffering a brain aneurysm.
The 45-year-old was surrounded by family at Auckland City Hospital when she died Wednesday, a day after her life support was turned off.
Dalton suffered the internal aneurysm during a social game of touch rugby in Takapuna last Thursday.
She never recovered after being admitted to hospital in a critical condition, having suffered massive blood loss and a loss of oxygen to the brain for an extended period.
A mother of three, Dalton played 12 Tests mostly at shooter across an 11-year international career which finished in 2007.
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She was part of the 2003 world championship-winning team, and also in the side that finished runners-up four years earlier.
She also played for the Northern Force and the Southern Sting, helping the latter to three national titles.
After her retirement, she became a well-known television commentator.
Numerous former team-mates and netball identities have expressed their sadness and support to the family over the past week.
She was hailed as a fun-loving, at times irreverent character, earning praise for her ability to balance motherhood with an extended and successful sports career.
