Former Team GB swimmer Helen Smart was found dead by her four-year-old daughter who said: “Daddy, I can’t wake Mummy up.”
The Olympic athlete swam for Team GB at the 2000 Sydney Olympics under her maiden name Helen Don-Duncan and died suddenly on Saturday (August 12).
Mum-of-two Helen retired from professional swimming after Sydney and became the head teacher at Worsley Mesnes Community Primary School in Wigan.
What happened to Team GB swimmer Helen Smart?
Helen was found dead by her young daughter Heidi at 4am on Saturday during a family break in the Lake District.
Helen’s mum Linda told the Mail: “Heidi had woken up in the night and tried to get into bed with her. She said to her daddy: ‘Mummy won’t wake up.’ He said: ‘Oh, she must be very tired – you go back to bed.’ He put the torch on and he said later that when he looked he could tell.”
Helen had been paddleboarding with husband Craig and children Heidi and Stanley earlier that day. She hadn’t been unwell.
Tributes to ‘pride and joy’
Her father John said: “Helen was our pride and joy. She lit up a room as soon as she arrived. Linda and I can’t comprehend how she could simply go to sleep and not wake up.”
Olympic medallist Sharron Davies MBE has also paid tribute and said: “This is very sad news.” She then added: “Always a pleasure to interview and always a huge smile on her face. A fierce competitor.”
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