Stephen
Tarrant was a race marshal at the Goodwood Festival of speed event on
June 24 2001 when a Lotus crashed during a timed hill-climb, killing
the driver John
Dawson-Damer and another
marshal, Andy
Carpenter
The
59-year-old Eton-educated driver was behind the wheel of a restored
1969 three-litre Lotus, which was once used by ex-world champion Mario
Andretti. It crashed 100 yards from the finish line, smashing into a
safety hay bale, then ramming into a wooden finish line gantry before
hitting the two marshals. Stephen
battled in hospital to cling on to life - surviving blood poisoning,
gangrene and a blood clot. The accident meant Stephen lost his right
leg, had the bones in his left leg shattered, suffered internal
injuries and lost a lot of blood. Since the life-changing accident, he
has had skin and muscle grafts to replace tissue that had been ripped
away.
"I consider myself very lucky to have survived that and the illnesses
in hospital afterwards so now I can walk," he said. Surgeons saved his
almost severed left leg - fitting an adjustable metal frame to fuse the
shattered bones - and performing delicate skin grafts. That frame has
been removed with the leg recovered so it can support Mr Tarrant's 18
stone without assistance.
His horrific stomach and head wounds have also healed. But he could not
have recovered without the help support from friends and family. I've
been given a second chance," he said. In
July 2001at the Festival of Speed, Steve Tarrant laved a wreath in
memory of the race marshal Andy Carpenter who was killed. That weekend
he also carried out a desk job in the race control and was back
marshalling the same year.
ZANARDI
MEETS AMPUTEE MARSHAL
In 2004 on
the Sunday morning of the FIA European Touring Car Championship
at Donington Park, during the autograph session, Alessandro Zanardi the
race diver who also lost his leg in a horrific race accident met Steve
Tarrant,
“He sent me
a few messages right after my accident, which were both moving and
encouraging. And when he contacted me again a few months ago, saying
that he wished to meet me personally at Donington, I was very pleased,”
Zanardi said.
“For me
this was a great emotion. Both Alex and I we love our sport very much,
and we are still participating despite what happened to us. Life’s
going on, this is our passion and we’ve got to live it,” said Steve.
Andy
Carpenters ashes were
buried at Le mans at the No 106 Marshal post, Steve leave’s a white
rose on the stone at the finish line at Goodwood , a tradition started
in 2003 and stated that he intends to carry out the same tradition for
the rest of his life.
For more infomation on Steve Tarrant vist his web site here