On the fateful night of August 31, 1997, tragedy struck the world when Princess Diana and her companion, Dodi Fayed, were killed in a car crash in Paris. While the driver, Henri Paul, and Dodi Fayed were killed instantly, Diana’s bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones, was the sole survivor of the crash.
Rees-Jones was born in Oswestry, Shropshire, England in 1968. He joined the British Army at the age of 16 and served in the Parachute Regiment. After leaving the army, he joined the Royalty and Diplomatic Protection Squad of the Metropolitan Police Service in London. It was here that he was assigned to protect Princess Diana and her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.
On the night of the crash, Rees-Jones was seated in the right-hand side of the back seat of the Mercedes-Benz S280. He was the only person wearing a seatbelt in the car. As the car crashed into the thirteenth pillar of the Pont de l’Alma tunnel, Rees-Jones was thrown forward and sustained severe injuries to his face, chest, and legs. He was taken to the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris where he underwent multiple surgeries.
Rees-Jones was in a coma for several weeks and spent a total of three months in the hospital. He was later released and continued to recover at home. In the years following the crash, Rees-Jones underwent extensive facial reconstruction and has since made a full recovery.
In the wake of the tragedy, Rees-Jones has spoken publicly about his experience and the impact it had on his life. He has also written a book about his experience, entitled The Bodyguard’s Story: Diana, the Crash, and the Sole Survivor.
Today, Rees-Jones is married and has two children. He is a private security consultant and works with several charities that support victims of road traffic accidents. He is also a patron of the Headway charity, which helps those who have suffered brain injuries.
Rees-Jones is the sole survivor of the crash that took the lives of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed. He is a testament to the power of resilience and the strength of the human spirit.
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