A life well lived

Whether it’s driving Princess Diana’s parents, saving potentially hundreds of lives, making 26 guitars or appearing on a number one hit single, no-one could argue that Stuart Wilson has not had a life well lived.

And thanks to the support of Caremark Kirklees, he continues to live in his home, which holds so many happy memories for him.

Stuart has packed a lot into his 77 years, and he has lots of stories to tell.

Like the time he was working as a Chauffeur and got a job to pick up the parents of Princess Diana, Earl and Lady Spencer, from the courtyard of Buckingham Palace in a maroon Rolls Royce.

Or when he braved a fire to turn off 150 levers in a chemical plant which otherwise would have caused a massive explosion and potentially killed and injured many people – something he received a Queen’s medal for.

Or when played session guitar on a song called Tell Me When by The Applejacks which went to number one in the charts in the 1960s.

Stuart could quite literally write a book on his experiences and achievements, which also include making 26 guitars, collecting country and western memorabilia and being an advanced driving instructor.

He also has a story about driving a group of nuns to see the preacher Billy Graham – a story which ends up with him on the side of the road wearing no trousers (it was all do with a wasp which happened to find its way up his trouser leg whilst he was driving – but that definitely is a story for another day!).

Stuart was married to his beloved wife Christine for 40 years before she sadly passed away 17 years ago from Parkinson’s Disease and dementia.

Christine shared his love of music, and they were in a band together. She even made his stage costumes as she was a Master Tailoress.

Struggling with his mobility, Stuart now only has his little dog Heidi for company, along with our carers who visit him twice a day to attend to his personal needs. He also has a four-hour social call each week, which tends to be with his favourite carer Aisha.

He says: “I have had a wonderful life and am surrounded by so many happy memories within my home, so the support I receive from Caremark is very important to me.

“All the carers are brilliant, but Aisha is my special favourite and I look forward to her visits each week because we get on so well. It’s like we have known each other for years.

“The carers are worth their weight in gold. They are like daughters to me and I don’t know what I would do without them.”