Former Olympic swimmer Helen Smart, who represented Great Britain at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, has died .
Helen was found dead by her four-year-old daughter, She was 42.
Who was Helen Smart?
Helen Smart, then known by her maiden name Don-Duncan, made a name for herself in the swimming world after becoming the British backstroke champion in the late 1990s.
At 19 years old, she competed in the women’s 50-meter backstroke and 200-meter backstroke at the Summer Games in 2000.
After retiring in the early 2000s, Smart became a principal at Worsley Mesnes Community Primary School in Wigan, England.
Helen Smart cause of death
Helen Smart was tragically found dead by her four-year-old daughter who told her husband: ‘Daddy, I can’t wake mummy up.’
The mother-of-two, 42, was unresponsive when her daughter Heidi tried to get in with her at 4am during a family celebration in the Lake District.
The family were at a large cottage on the banks of Lake Coniston and Helen had been paddle boarding at dusk on Friday night just hours before she died.
Her mother, Linda, told Mailonline: ‘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 Heidi – you go back to bed.” ‘He put the torch on and he said later that when he looked he could tell.’
Fighting back tears, Linda continued: ‘We are just in so much shock. You jump from believing it to not believing it.
‘She had been paddle boarding a few hours before and had never even been ill apart from her knees swelling from swimming.’
‘We’re distraught. They don’t know what it is but they think it must have happened shortly after she went to bed. She just died in her sleep.’
The family of Helen Smart are shocked at her death since it was very sudden. At the moment, the cause of her death is unknown.
Helen Smart husband tribute
Her grieving husband, Craig Smart, took to the school’s Facebook page to pay tribute to his beloved wife.
“She loved the school, staff, children and parents so much,” Craig Smart said. “She was so proud to reach her goal of being Head Teacher. She used to say to me all the time she could never see herself at another school. She was Worsley Mesnes through and through! I remember only last week she said her goal was to get the school to outstanding and that she had the right staff to achieve this!”
“I hope you all keep learning like champions. Please learn from this and live your best life, no regrets, take lots of photos, make memories and keep smiling just like Helen always did!”
Helen Smart father tribute
Helen’s father, John Don-Duncan, also paid tribute to his daughter on Facebook alongside a photo of him, his partner Linda, and Helen.
He wrote, “Helen was our pride and joy… we are so proud of her… she lit up a room as soon as she arrived.. Linda and I can’t comprehend how she could just simply go to sleep and not wake up?! xx”
Elsewhere, Olympic medalist Sharron Davies wrote, “This is very sad news. Always a pleasure to interview & always a huge smile on her face. A Fierce competitor.”
And the school’s chair of governors, Alison Halliwell, wrote on Facebook, “It is with great sadness and regret that I have to announce the sudden death of our beloved headteacher, Mrs Helen Smart.”
“Our heart-felt condolences are sent to Helen’s family at this very difficult time. I know this news will be a shock and cause great sadness to our community,” the statement continued.
“I want to reassure you that the governors of Worsley Mesnes School are working with the local authority and school to ensure that our children, staff and parents will receive the necessary support in the coming weeks.”
“Further information/updates will be issued as and when they are available,” Halliwell added.
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