November 27 will forever be the date Wales woke up to the tragic news that Gary Speed, coach of the national football team, married to his childhood sweetheart and father to two teenage boys, had been found dead at his home.
This year marks 10 years since he died – an occasion that will no doubt be marked across the country but one which his widow and adult kids want to try and forget.
As each November comes round, marking yet another year with Gary gone, wife Louise tries to “escape” to New York with sons Ed and Tommy. It is not a day they can celebrate. That’s on Gary’s birthday which is in September, Louise said. He will be forever 42.
She found Gary in the garage of their home in Cheshire having hanged himself just hours after he had appeared on national television, seemingly in good spirits. On the instructions of the emergency services she walked in and cut him down.
No-one can put their finger on why – least of all Gary’s parents Carol and Roger Speed. A decade on Roger has dementia and Carol is barely sleeping in the run-up to the day. She can’t wait for the week in…
