The randomness of love, life and loss are hitting one Sydney family harder than most tonight.

We’re only ever here for a moment… Hug your loved ones close today.

Last Wednesday afternoon, Teresa Swarbrick, 47, drowned in a “freak accident” while snorkelling off the coast of Byron Bay in New South Wales.

The Western Sydney mother of two got caught in strong currents near Julian Rocks and lost consciousness. She was pulled from the water and lifeguards and paramedics commenced CPR but were unable to revive her.

It’s the sort of accident that shakes a community like Bryon Bay to its core.

It sounds corny, but Teresa was living her life to its fullest, having fun the friends and family, enjoying the breathtaking beauty of Australia’s beaches. What happened to her, truly, could have happened to anyone.

She was an ordinary, good, hard working and big hearted woman who was raising two beautiful children. And in the most fleeting of moments, her life has been taken; her friends and family left reeling.

Teresa’s husband Alan has today posted a heart-wrenching message on his lost wife’s Facebook page, describing the note as “by far the hardest” thing he has ever written.

“At this stage I do not know what to say,” he wrote.

“There are no words to express my sadness and devastation for our family.”

Alan described his wife — affectionately known as “Etch” — as a “special soul” and spoke about the strong bond she had with her children.

“She loved all the special friends she had and cherished all of you and the many memories we had together.”

“I know she would want me to share this sad message with you,” he said to his wife’s friends in the online world.

Many of Teresa’s family and friends responded to the post, including her older brother Leo.

Leo writes, “Alan. My little sister had the most amazing life and the most amazing soul mate. Thank you for being the man you are and looking after my baby sister. My heart is hurting as everyone else. Love to James and Abbey.”

Police are investigating the incident but it is not being treated as suspicious. It was, however, the third incident to occur on the North Coast in an eight day period. A man in his fifties is in a critical condition in the Gold Coast University hospital after being pulled from the water at Angourie point, and another drowned in waters near Tweed Heads.

It’s a tragic reminder that some of the Australian landscape’s most natural beauty is also it’s most dangerous.

We live in one of the most naturally enchanting places on the planet, but we always need to take care and be aware in the water. Please: look out for each other, look out for our loved ones, and the wellbeing of strangers too.

Teresa’s death was a horrible, unforeseeable and unpredictable accident and as a result family is going to sleep once more tonight, without the wife and mother they loved so much. The realities of the randomness of life, love and loss will be hitting them harder than the rest of us today, and well into the future as they mourn.

Our thoughts are with them. Rest in peace, Teresa.