Formula One legend Sir Jackie Stewart has opened up in a deeply moving interview about his wife Helen's decade-long battle with dementia, describing the emotional devastation of watching the person he loves slowly fade away.
The Emotional Journey of a Carer
Lady Helen Stewart, now 84, received her diagnosis in 2014, and the three-time world champion has been by her side throughout the harrowing progression of the disease. Sir Jackie, 86, revealed that while there are rare moments of clarity, dementia now has a firm grip on his wife of over sixty years.
'It's such an emotional journey,' Sir Jackie told The Telegraph. '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.'
The Scot poignantly added that Helen is now unable to recall their love story or the gloriously colourful life they led together, which included his historic French Grand Prix victory in 1969.
The Daily Reality of Dementia Care
The couple's daily life in Buckinghamshire and at their Swiss home on Lake Geneva is now shaped by the demands of the illness. Lady Stewart requires two specialist dementia nurses providing round-the-clock care.
A particularly challenging aspect is a symptom known as 'sundowning', where the brain fatigues later in the day, leading to confusion and aggression. 'She is going through a bad time right now, particularly in the evenings,' Sir Jackie explained.
He detailed distressing violent episodes with care staff, after which Helen has no memory of her actions. '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.'
Channelling Grief Into Action
Confronted with what he describes as 'the greatest challenge of my life', Sir Jackie has met his wife's condition head-on. 'Sometimes I can't believe there isn't a cure already,' he stated, highlighting the scale of the problem. '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.'
He declared dementia 'the cruellest disease' and, in 2016, launched his charity, Race Against Dementia. To date, he has donated more than £20 million to fund research, financially backing 65 separate projects in the fight against the condition.
The man known as 'The Flying Scot', who remains the only surviving F1 champion from the 1960s, still attends a handful of Grand Prix each season. His own health is 'ok' following a stroke he suffered in Jordan in 2023.
The couple's story began in 1957 at Dino's Cafe in Helensburgh, a blind date that led to a lifetime of love—a story that dementia is now systematically erasing.
