It will be a difficult Mother's Day weekend for two young Stratford boys whose mother died suddenly this week of a rare blood disease.

Brittany Robertson was a popular health care worker whose unexpected death left the community in shock. The mother of two young boys, 8-year-old Sincere and 4-year-old Semaj, died Wednesday of aplastic anemia – a blood cell disease so rare it affects only 20,000 people in the entire world.

The family says Brittany was a beloved member of the community who was known for being a hard worker devoted to her kids.

They say her illness came on quickly only a few months ago, and many of her friends and colleagues didn't even know she was sick. The news of her death this week came out of the blue for many people.

Her brother Joshua said he is at a total loss for words and still can't imagine a world without his sister.

The family is asking for the community to pray for Brittany's kids and to celebrate the memory of a young woman who they say always put the needs of others before her own.

A funeral for Robertson will take place on Tuesday at Mt. Aery Church in Bridgeport.