Trevor Rees-Jones (bodyguard) facts for kids

Trevor Rees-Jones (born March 3, 1968) is a British author and former bodyguard. He is known for being the only survivor of a serious car crash in Paris in 1997. This accident sadly resulted in the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. Because of a serious head injury, Trevor Rees-Jones does not remember what happened during the crash.

Some news stories at the time said he was wearing a seat belt and that's why he survived. However, later investigations showed that no one in the car was wearing a seat belt.

Early Life and Family

Trevor Rees-Jones was born on March 3, 1968, in Rinteln, which was then in West Germany. His father, Colin Rees, was a surgeon in the British Army, and his mother, Gill, was a nurse. Trevor has two brothers: an older brother named Gareth and a younger brother named John.

When he was ten years old, his family moved back to Oswestry, a town near the Welsh border. This was close to where his father grew up. Trevor went to Fitzalan High School and joined the Combined Cadet Force, which is a program for young people interested in the military.

Military Service

In 1987, Trevor Rees-Jones joined the 1st Battalion of the Parachute Regiment. This is a special part of the British Army. He served one tour of duty in Northern Ireland and received the General Service Medal for his service.

The 1997 Car Crash

On August 31, 1997, Trevor Rees-Jones was seriously hurt in a car crash in Paris. This accident led to the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. The princess's friend, Dodi Fayed, and their driver, Henri Paul, also died in the car. Trevor Rees-Jones was the only person who survived the crash.

He was awake after the accident. His face was badly injured, with many bones broken. Doctors used old family photos to help rebuild his face. They used about 150 small pieces of titanium to hold his bones together and bring back the shape of his face. Within about a year, his face looked almost normal again.

Dodi Fayed's father, Mohamed Al-Fayed, paid for Trevor's hospital care at first. The rest of the costs were covered by the British National Health Service (NHS). After more than a month in the hospital, Trevor Rees-Jones returned to the United Kingdom on October 3, 1997. At that time, he could only whisper and write down his answers to communicate. He left his job as a bodyguard on May 19, 1998.

Life After Recovery

After recovering from his injuries, Trevor Rees-Jones moved back to Oswestry. He worked in a shop for a while.

On February 15, 2003, he married his second wife, Ann Scott. She was a teacher at Belvidere School, Shrewsbury. Their wedding took place in Welshpool, Wales.

In 2000, he wrote a book about his experiences. It was called The Bodyguard's Story: Diana, the Crash, and the Sole Survivor (ISBN: 0-446-61004-6). He wrote the book with the help of a ghostwriter named Moira Johnston. The book shared what Trevor could remember and what his family and friends recalled about the events.

See Also

In Spanish: Trevor Rees-Jones para niños