The Repair Shop's resident leather expert Suzie Fletcher has revealed the heartbreaking reason she returned to the UK after more than two decades in the United States. Suzie, originally from Oxford, had moved to the US to work as a master saddler in Illinois, planning to stay for two years. However, just three weeks after arriving, she met the man who would become her husband, leading to a 22-year stay in the country.
A life in Colorado with highs and lows
Suzie ended up living what she described as “a western life, a ranching life” with Rob in Colorado. She has previously spoken about how he displayed unhealthily controlling behaviour, forbidding her from wearing shorts and other revealing clothing, and sometimes banning her from leaving the house. At one point, he threatened to kill her.
Suzie recalled: “I just said hello, and he uttered those words – 'I’ve worked out how to have you killed. And I will get away with it.' It just stopped me in my tracks.”
Husband's death and decision to return home
Rob died of pancreatic cancer in 2013 at the age of just 51. Suzie told The Times: “We went through good times and bad. He was sometimes abusive towards me, but he had demons of his own. I was nonetheless devastated when he lost his life so young. In due course I decided to return home.”
After more than two decades away, Suzie returned to her home region of the Cotswolds. Speaking to Lorraine Kelly in a 2023 interview, she said she believed Rob's “bad treatment” of her came from “his insecurities and his inability to cope with life.” She added: “We were good together, weirdly, but we had this element which was not healthy and I'm really interested in looking into why this occurs and try to find a solution.”
Final moments and joining The Repair Shop
Rob's cancer was already advanced when detected. “He wasn’t the type to rush to the doctor, so by the time he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, it had already metastasised and there was no chance of him surviving,” she explained.
In her memoir, The Sun Over The Mountains, Suzie recalled the moment she knew Rob had given up his fight. She described how he had shrunk to almost “skeletal” proportions but was determined to go on one last motorcycling holiday. As they stopped for a break, Rob was struggling to wrestle his ride into a bike rack. Before Suzie could help, other bikers went over to assist him. Rob, who had taken to wearing multiple t-shirts to hide his frail frame, accepted their offer, telling them “Look, man, I got cancer.”
“I saw the humiliation in his face,” Suzie wrote, “but there was an acceptance too.” She added: “From that moment, I started to see a different look on his face. I've seen the same thing in other people who are terminally ill. You see it in their eyes and you can trace it along their brow. It registered with me that this was a new beginning for Rob. An acceptance. Until then he'd been fighting hard, but now he had crossed over that indiscernible line that divides living and letting go.”
How the show helped through dark days
After Rob's death, Suzie's younger brother Steve recommended her to bosses at The Repair Shop, and she says the show has helped her deal with the grief of losing her husband. Suzie explained: “Every time [Steve] called he looked to be having such a good time I jokingly said, 'If they need anyone to do leather I'm your gal.'”
She added: “I really was joking but after several phone calls and a lot of reassurance from Steve I agreed to give it a go and joined the team. I'm so happy I did as this is one of the most enjoyable things I've ever been involved with and it's also helped me through some very dark days.”
