in movies I always like the end in the style of "what happened after...". And most of all, this part interested me after watching the movie "Rush" (by Ron Howard), about the confrontation between F1 racers James Hunt and Niki Lauda. What happened with James, this bright and unusual racer, after his great victory in 1976?
I'm not going to tell you about the sport career of James. I think many of you watched this movie, If not, you will.
After retiring from F1 James Hunt almost immediately received an offer to become a journalist on BBC to comment races. During the first live broadcast from the Grand Prix in Monaco in 1980, the commentators had single microphone for two. And Hunt decided to take it away from Walker who, in his opinion, talked too long already. The quarrel ended in a brawl. However, the audience liked that Hunt is not apprehended to himself in his new role too seriously, and he wasn't fired. Moreover, his deep knowledge of all the nuances of racing, coupled with a ruthless sense of humor, attracted to him crowds of new fans. Hunt got famous, again.
In 1980, James returned to Britain. He didn't like life in Spain, and as soon as the government changed the tax policy, he returned home:
"I always intended sooner or later to return to Britain and live here. Here is my home, my family and my friends, and I prefer the English culture and way of life." (James Hunt)
James bought house in England and a few acres of land, and was thinking about how to start a farm. He and Jane (his girlfriend since 1977) wanted to have a baby and even planned to get married, though both were not entirely sure of the necessity of such a step. Besides, Jane had a miscarriage all the time.
James & Jane
Several times in the 1980's, James received offers from different teams, "Formula 1", but always refused:
"it makes no sense to risk my neck for money that you don't need. You will not be able to spend it if you die". (James Hunt)
However, he advised to John Hogan from McLaren to take Niki Lauda. Hogan listened to the advice and it has paid off: over four seasons Nicky has won eight Grand Prix in 1984 and again become a world champion in the third and last time. Then Hogan offered James a job as a counselor and mentor young riders, and James agreed. He was a great teacher and treated to each "student" with great attention and personal interest, even invited them to his house. Among his pupils was the famous Finnish driver Mika Hakkinen, world champion in 1998 and 1999.
However, James could not live just like that, without overcoming and striving for something. He needed to direct his intense energy somewhere and he has back to skiing, which abstained during a sports career for fear of injury. He was afraid for good reason: in March 1980, in Switzerland he tore a ligament in his left knee. The injury was more serious than all which he received, as a racer, and after the surgery he several weeks was confined to a hospital bed. Even after removing a cast leg wasn't bend more than 90 degrees, and forced physical restriction infuriated out the impatient and energetic James. Too early returned to physical activity, he again injured his knee and needed another surgery. Leg was brutally ill, and James confined to bed, tormented with pain and helplessness. Jane, who was next to him, couldn't do anything to help him, and later believed that this crisis finally destroyed their relationship...
James couldn't sleep, pain killers did not help, forced immobility did not allow him to vent his frustration in physical exercise as he used to, and as a result, he became increasingly nervous and gloomy. He started drinking heavily and smoking more marijuana. He kept all in himself. Constant miscarriages of Jane also didn't make her situation easier. She started drinking and smoking, and their family life with James finally rolled into a ditch. 1980 was a very difficult for both of them. In addition to trauma and depression, James was unable to remain faithful to Jane, and they suffered greatly from this. His obsession to others women was out of control. He continued to love Jane, and she loved him, but he couldn't control to himself, and she understood it too. In the end they broke up, although remained friends.
In September 1982, James met Sarah Lomax. A year after Dating they got married and settled in a big house in Wimbledon, with a half hundreds of budgerigars, which returned James into his childhood hobby. He bred them with the same sense of purpose that drove the car, and was very proud when his birds won rosettes at shows. Hospitable house of James was famous for loud parties, which lasted sometimes until the morning.
12 September 1985, James and Sarah became the parents of their first son. The birth of children, however, does not reduce James temperament, who at that time was under 40. On the contrary, he began to drink even more. He loved his son and was a doting father, but even the love of children were not able to ward off the black Ghost of depression, which always looming over his shoulder. While James was a racer, racing and everything associated with it, did not allow this to occur, but over quiet years which didn't have such all-consuming pursuits, the depression began to lift her head more often. James tried to cope with it, as he used to – with the help of alcohol, sex and partying, but it eventually stopped helping. Friends tried to help him as they could, but James wouldn't let to anyone came in to his soul, and thought he would do it himself. He looked horrified.
James, Sarah and Tom
Sarah's heart was torn, she began to drink and in the end could not resist. In 1988 they decided to broke up, but for the sake of the children continued to live in the same house. James even offered to split the house into two parts, but Sarah objected, and James didn't want sons saw him during the next binge. In the end, he bought Sara the house is literally on the adjacent corner in order to see his children.
In November 1989, James and Sarah divorced. It was a very difficult time for both, the divorce procedure pushed James to the bottom. Mike Dennett, his close friend, occasionally suffered from bouts of depression too, he was the only one whom James would admit to himself at this time.
"He was trying to get rid of depression for many years, and therefore brought the budgies. He thought they can to distract him, and soon turned from a hobby into an obsession. He sat for hours in the aviary, but returned still sulking, and was so self-involved that it was impossible to even talk." (Mike Dennett)
However, James was a fighter. He didn't wait until something happens, he decided it was time to do something. He treated himself as a doctor, cutting off one after the other from his vices to find out where is the problem. He stopped drinking, smoking cigarettes and marijuana, take drugs.
"He tried a variety of methods – acupuncture, Chinese medicine, and have studied all the possible theories. Went to different specialists – psychologists, psychotherapists, psychiatrists, psychoanalysts and other to understand the causes of his depression. And in the end he overcame it". (Mike Dennett)
James began again to exercise, comply with a healthy diet, becoming more focused on his job. New James was loved by all of his colleagues from the world of journalism, even those who had treated him with hostility. Probably the decision of James to be a better person than he was, was influenced on the fact that in 1989 he met the woman who eventually became the love of his life.
Helen Dyson was studying in art school and worked as a waitress at the restaurant where James often went out to dinner. Helen was the first woman he truly loved, and it was somehow slightly frightening him, what he told her honestly. James was actively interested in the career of Helen, admired her work and gave her a studio in his house, so she could work for her pleasure. He couldn't imagine life without Helen, and the love of her impelled him to greater introspection. He wrote to her a long and touching letters, when he left on the races, and said that in Helen he finally found that goal, which he lacked in life.
James and Helen
Love to Helen and to the children – that's what changed James, and helped him finally to find himself. He no longer needed to smoke, drink and indulge in other pursuits with which he distracted himself before. He never even cheated on Helen. He had everything he need for happiness, and no longer needed to deaden the inner emptiness of casual relationships. James even told to ex-wife Sarah how happy with Helen, and she was sincerely happy for him.
In June 1993, Helen went on vacation to Greece with his girlfriend on "the bachelorette". James invited to stay his close friend Mike Dennett, during her absence. A few days later he called Helen on the phone and made her an offer to marry, she enthusiastically accepted. Afterwards, James returned to the billiard match with Mike, they had dinner, then played another hour and went to their rooms to sleep. At half past ten in the morning Mike got up and saw that James didn't come down for breakfast, and went to wake him.
He found James lying on the floor beside the bed, in a bathrobe. James even couldn't to get to bed, heart stopped suddenly. It was 15 June 1993. James Hunt was 45 years old.
In his will James donated 5,000 pounds to his many friends had a lot of fun at his funeral – it was done.
original footage after 1min
I'll write not about famous people, but about people, with unusual life paths, who didn't try to change history, but left their own an unrepeatable footmark in our time.