Formula One icon Sir Jackie Stewart opens up on his wife’s heartbreaking dementia battle, which includes ‘violent’ episodes towards her nurses
Formula One icon Sir Jackie Stewart has shared heartbreaking details about his wife’s battle with dementia.
The 86-year-old is still a force of nature and his words will resonate with many who have or have had loved ones to suffer with the disease.
Lady Stewart, 84, was diagnosed in 2014 and despite rare moments of lucidity is in a firm grip by the disease.
In an interview with the Telegraph, Sir Jackie says: ‘It’s such an emotional journey. Seeing someone you love and adore, somebody you courted for four years, to whom you have been married for over 60 years, stolen from you by degrees.
Lady Stewart also has violent episodes with care staff when the brain fatigues later in the day, known as ‘sundowning’.
He went on: ‘She is going through a bad time right now, particularly in the evenings. ‘I’ll say to her, “Darling, why did you do that to the nurse?” “What nurse? What are you talking about?” She has no recollection of how she’s abused that nurse.’
Sir Jackie Stewart (right) pictured with his wife Helen back in 2019 after her diagnosis
Helen’s memories of their amazing life together (pictured in 1969 after Jackie’s French GP win), have now gone as she suffers with dementia
Helen has two nurses with care around the clock attention every day and they’re also specialised in dementia care.
The couple live in Buckinghamshire and also have a house by Lake Geneva in Switzerland.
Sir Jackie met his wife in 1957 at Dino’s Cafe in Helensburgh. He had been set up on a blind date with a girl who wasn’t interested but then met another friend of a friend at the cafe, who turned out to be his future wife.
Helen is unable to recall their love story now or details about the gloriously colourful life they’ve led together.
‘Sometimes I can’t believe there isn’t a cure already’, Sir Jackie added. ‘Unless something is done, one in three people born today will die with dementia. It is now the leading cause of death [in the UK].
‘It is the cruellest disease. I mean it when I say this is the greatest challenge of my life. Formula One is very global. But it’s not as global as medicine.’
He has met that challenge head on ever since his wife was diagnosed.
In 2016 he launched his charity called Race Against Dementia and has donated in excess of £20million to held fund research into the disease, financially backing 65 research projects.
Stewart, pictured with Helen in Surrey in 1972, described dementia as the cruellest disease
The couple, pictured with sons Paul and Mark in 1973, have been together since they were teenagers
His own health he describes as ‘ok’ but Stewart suffered a stroke in Jordan in 2023 when he was there for a royal wedding.
He still attends a handful of Formula One races every season and ‘The Flying Scot’ as he is known, remains passionate about the sport in which he made his name.
Stewart won three world championship and at the time of his retirement from racing, held the records for most wins and most podiums.
He then went into broadcasting work and became a household name in the United States for his work with ABC.
Stewart is the only surviving Formula One champion from the 1960s and is the oldest living grand prix winner.
