There's a very pretty lady on the front page today. She's only there
because she's dead. How terribly harsh that sounds. It's a very cruel
thing to say. The incredibly sad thing is that it's true and it
shouldn't be.
Today we are all aware of the tragedy facing the
family of Susan Taylor, 34, who died trying to swim the English Channel.
How terrible it must be to see their beautiful daughter, wife, sister,
friend, smiling out from every newstand, knowing that she is only there
because they have lost her.
Susan was an exceptional person in
every way. She died while helping others. It was her final challenge
after years of fundraising . She did her first sponsored swim as a
child, managing a staggering five miles. The Channel at its narrowest is
22 miles, but swimmers have to cope with current and tides which means
that for them it's even further than that.
It's one of the busiest
shipping lanes in the world, with tankers and ferries criss-crossing
the route. Susan had an even bigger fear ""Coming into contact with
jellyfish!" she wrote. It didn't stop her though. She spent many hours
preparing and died within sight of her goal. We should stand in awe of
her selflessness and courage.
We should also remember that we
don't celebrate these people enough when they are alive. I doubt if any
of us would have heard of her had she made it. Far fewer people have
swum the Channel than have climbed Everest but can you name any of them
other than David Walliams? No, me neither.
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