Heavy
Balloons in a hospital room
Six weeks after suffering life-threatening injuries following a five-story fall, Hallmark Channel actress Mamie Laverock remains hospitalized in Vancouver. But on July 9, 2024, she celebrated two major milestones from her hospital bed: Laverock not only turned 20 but also managed to hug her mom, Nicole Rockmann, for the first time since May.
Calling the occasion “my miracle birthday” in a post on Facebook, Laverock shared photos from her special day, which included a gathering of family and caregivers at the hospital and a cake, made by her stepdad Rob Compton, designed to look like the Hope Valley church in “When Calls The Heart,” the Hallmark series she last appeared on in 2023.
Rockmann also added a touching photo of her and her daughter embracing in the hospital room with a description written over it that said, “Mamie moved onto her stomach, pushed herself up and held onto me..at that moment we realized we could have our first hug.”
Special Birthday Party for Mamie Laverock Included Balloon Art & Custom Hospital Gown
In the photo that Rockmann posted on in the early morning hours of July 10, Laverock could be seen from behind in a hospital gown, on her knees as she hugged her mom. It is the first full-body photo released of Laverock, as past posts have only shown glimpses of her injuries.
Laverock, who played Rosaleen Sullivan on WCTH as a child actor and returned to the show in 2023, was originally hospitalized on May 11 due an undisclosed “medical emergency,” according to her family’s GoFundMe page. While recovering, the family said, she “fell five stories” from a hospital balcony while being escorted by staff and was on life support for several days.
On May 31, Rockmann updated the page to tell supporters that Laverock had made it through her biggest surgeries but was “enduring tremendous pain” and that her daughter’s body had been “shattered.”
In photos Rockmann and Laverock shared on July 9, the actress was well enough to be celebrated with a hospital birthday party that included a large, arched balloon rainbow set up in a special area of the hospital by balloon artist Evelyn Milanes.
“Thank you Evelyn,” one post read. “Your hard work and love created such beautiful balloon art. My miracle birthday..somewhere over the rainbow.”
Milanes also posted photos on Instagram of the display and wrote, “Celebrating life! 🦋🥳🥳🥳🌈🥳🥳🥳🥳🌈🎈🎈 Happy Birthday 🎈🎈🌈to a very special person. 🌈🦋👏🦋🥳.”
To feel special on her milestone birthday, Laverock was also given a teal, satin hospital gown, custom-made by Vancouver-based costume designer and stylist Claudia Da Ponte, who has worked on many Hallmark movies, per IMDb.
In a post on Laverock’s Facebook page with photos of Da Ponte and the gown, which said, “Mamie’s Miracle Birthday in style for the special day. Thank you Claudia for the personal gift of a personally designed stunning hospital gown.”
Photos of the Hope Valley cake that Compton made were also posted, surrounded by flower bouquets Laverock received.
Thanking Compton for “the homemade beautiful When Calls The Heart Cake,” Laverock also posted a photo of her stepdad in the comment section, proudly presenting the cake at her birthday party.
Mamie Laverock’s Mom Has Said Her Daughter Has a ‘Long Road’ Ahead
HallmarkLoretta Walsh, Mamie Laverock, Johannah Newmarch and Erin Krakow on season 10 of “When Calls The Heart”
On June 26, one month after the fall that left Laverock on life support, Rockmann posted an update on her daughter’s Facebook page, writing, “Thank you for your healing messages for Mamie. Mamie survived her injuries, however her road to recovery will be long.”
Rockmann has provided a handful of updates and insights into Laverock’s healing journey, without sharing the specific nature of her injuries. The family’s GoFundMe campaign has raised $38,802 (52,831 CAN) to help with expenses.
On May 30, Rockmann told the Los Angeles Times that the family intended to take legal action against Vancouver’s St. John’s Hospital, where Laverock was staying at the time of her fall, and that her daughter had been moved to another hospital after the incident.
“We have a case,” she told the paper. “All we care about is that Mamie can make a recovery and that she’s alive and that she’s fighting and that she’s strong. It’s unbelievable that she’s with us.”
Liv Lane is an entertainment writer who covers the Hallmark Channel, HGTV, American Idol and The Voice for Heavy. Based in Minneapolis, she has three decades of experience as a local and national radio host, columnist and publicist, interviewing and working with a wide range of celebrities over the years, from Deepak Chopra to Lil Nas X. More about Liv Lane
