Claims extracted
23
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
9%
2 of 23 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
68/100
ABC News (AU)'s corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
1
Health
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Purple walls adorned with music posters and family photos, and a bed covered by her favourite My Little Pony blanket, are a colourful reminder of the impact Tori Punch made in her 24 years of life.
asserted
Punch → adorn → life
While the lights are off and the music no longer rings out from her bedroom, her mother Wendy Punch makes sure there is still music playing in the lounge room for her "happy, bubbly girl".
asserted
mother → ring → girl
"Tori showed us how to be strong, [how] to get through it all," Wendy said.
asserted
Wendy → show → it
Tori died earlier this month after a long battle with Proteus syndrome, an extremely rare genetic condition that caused overgrowth of her bones, skin and tissue.
asserted
that → die → bones
She was diagnosed at just 14 months old and, despite being unable to walk, she never let it stop her from enjoying life and pursuing her passions of singing and dancing.
asserted
it → diagnose → singing
"She had her carers all the time in there, doing karaoke with her in the room, dancing," Wendy said.
asserted
Wendy → have → room
Wendy said Tori was a big fan of celebrating birthdays and she remembered fondly one birthday during COVID, when more than 500 cars — including emergency services — showed their support.
asserted
cars → say → support
Her last birthday — in May this year — was made special with a visit from her favourite local musician and a party that ended with a cake fight with her siblings.
uncertain
that → make → siblings
"Tori was like my best friend," older sister Melinda Radburn said.
asserted
Radburn → say → friend
"I feel like Tori was the glue that kept us all together."
Rare condition
Proteus syndrome is an extremely rare, non-inherited mutation of the AKT1 gene, with fewer than a few hundred cases documented worldwide.
Babies are typically born without apparent deformities, but symptoms appear in the first two years of life.
asserted
symptoms → feel → life
"With everything that the syndrome brought to her, she never let it impact who she was," her sister said.
asserted
sister → bring → her
In 2018, the family fought to get access to a medical trial from the US, which they were eventually granted, and Wendy said it was the reason Tori defied the odds to reach the age of 24.
asserted
Tori → fight → 24
"When Tori first got diagnosed with Proteus, we'd never heard of it in our life," she said.
asserted
she → diagnose → life
"We had to do a lot of research to work out everything regarding the syndrome.
asserted
We → have → syndrome
"Tori had been fighting for 24 years … she was the boss of it."
asserted
she → fight → it
An inspiring woman
A Facebook page moderated by her family has amassed more than 35,000 followers, many posting about how the young woman had inspired them.
asserted
woman → moderate → them
"You touched my heart on how strong you were.
asserted
you → touch → heart
I loved seeing yr [sic] video and photos of you smiling and singing," follower Tracy Horscroft said.
asserted
Horscroft → see → video
"I know I never met Tori but the updates on her page gave me smiles," Adele Pate said.
asserted
Pate → know → smiles
Her mother said the community response was overwhelming.
asserted
response → say → ?
"A lot of feedback has come back, people telling us that, with Tori's page — that we've had going for around 15 years now — that it's given them inspiration to get up and do stuff," Wendy said.
asserted
Wendy → come → stuff
"It's given me a lot of comfort, with a lot of the messages that have come through."
"It shows that Tori didn't just genuinely have an impact on us, that she had a wider reach to so many people," Melinda added.
asserted
Melinda → give → people
Her family said plans were being made to hold an open funeral the wider community could attend in Bundaberg later this month.
uncertain
community → say → Bundaberg
The Aporia