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Triumph to Tragedy for brave Clare
Tuesday 12noon COURAGEOUS Clare Smith bared all for a TV programme, but her triumph was blighted by tragedy when her husband was killed in a road accident shortly after filming ended.
Clare (44) of Middle Rasen, had spent half her life with Neil (44) who she met on a blind date.
"We loved each other from the minute we met. We got married six weeks after we were introduced," she said.
"I had a motorbike accident eight years ago and broke my foot. I was then affected by a condition that makes the nerve ends extremely painful. It was agonising, so four years ago I had the operation to remove it."
Neil saw an advert for Gok Wan's 'How To Look Good Naked' Channel 4 television show and, knowing how his wife felt about the importance of portraying disabled people positively, encouraged her to apply.
He was seen with their three children at the end of the programme broadcast last week, bursting with tears of pride at the sight of his beautiful wife, strutting along the catwalk after her make-over and knowing how much the whole experience had boosted her confidence.
Tragically, he never got to see the finished result because of the road accident that took his life on November 27, two weeks after filming ended.
Five months ago Clare and Neil bought a house in Middle Rasen and Neil got a job closer to home in Lincoln.
On the morning, he went to work but Clare heard there had been an accident and tried in vain to contact him.
"I knew something was wrong because he would have phoned me. Five hours later, a policewoman came to the door and I knew it was bad news.
"Neil was always there for me. He nursed me, looked after me, and loved me. He would have felt the same about me even if I had no legs or arms. He was a great man, a wonderful, considerate husband and a loving father. We all miss him more than words can say," said Clare.
Clare's experience of NHS prosthetics has been a miserable one. She has had false limbs that don't fit, and are very painful to wear.
"Neil was in the Air Force for 22 years and my father and grandfather also served in the forces, so I think a lot about those young men coming home from the current war without limbs. It's scandalous the NHS is the best they have got," she said.
"I have never been able to use an NHS leg properly. They don't always fit, and if they hurt, they are just packed with padding to try and ease the situation."
Clare was given a new cosmetic leg in synthetic skin by Gok as a present.
"It has been especially made to fit me. It cost a huge amount of money and it has got to last me all of my life."
However, Clare needs a new functional, but comfortable, prosthetic leg just for daily living, but is having difficulty raising the 15,000 needed to fund it after being denied one by the NHS.
Clare says she is so pleased that she took part in 'How To Look Good Naked', which was dedicated to Neil ,and would recommend it to anyone. She has had some wonderful and encouraging responses and she wants to thank local people who have supported her and encouraged her since Neil's accident.
Funds are being raised in Neil's memory on the JustGiving.com site and has so far raised 1,425.00. For more information see here : http://www.justgiving.com/Neil-W-Smith
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Weather for Market Rasen
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 21 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: East
