Princess Diana tragically died 28 years ago today, with her sudden death sending shockwaves around the world.
The princess was just 36 when she died following a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997, that also killed her companion Dodi Fayed and the vehicle's driver. The car had crashed into the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in the French capital, with emergency services flocking to the scene in the aftermath of the devastating crash.
One of those on the scene was firefighter Xavier Gourmelon, who had no idea who Diana was when he first saw her in the wrecked vehicle.
He didn't believe the 'blonde woman' in the back of the car was seriously injured as she had her eyes open, was conscious and talking.
Before she was taken out of the car, he held her hand and comforted her, telling her to stay calm. Diana then asked him: 'My God, what's happened?' Just moments later she suffered a cardiac arrest.
Mr Gourmelon previously told The Sun: 'I massaged her heart and a few seconds later she started breathing again. It was a relief of course because, as a first responder, you want to save lives — and that's what I thought I had done.
Despite doctors' best efforts, Diana was declared dead at 4am local time, 3am in the UK, at Pitie-Salpetriere hospital in Paris.
Tens of thousands came to pay their respects to the princess at her home in Kensington Palace, mourning the loss of a woman many of whom had never met. This cemented her legacy and forced the royals to recognise that she had connected with people in ways many of them had never been able to before.
The Mirror
Princess Diana tragically died 28 years ago today, with her sudden death sending shockwaves around the world.
The princess was just 36 when she died following a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997, that also killed her companion Dodi Fayed and the vehicle's driver. The car had crashed into the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in the French capital, with emergency services flocking to the scene in the aftermath of the devastating crash.
One of those on the scene was firefighter Xavier Gourmelon, who had no idea who Diana was when he first saw her in the wrecked vehicle.
He didn't believe the 'blonde woman' in the back of the car was seriously injured as she had her eyes open, was conscious and talking.
Before she was taken out of the car, he held her hand and comforted her, telling her to stay calm. Diana then asked him: 'My God, what's happened?' Just moments later she suffered a cardiac arrest.
Mr Gourmelon previously told The Sun: 'I massaged her heart and a few seconds later she started breathing again. It was a relief of course because, as a first responder, you want to save lives — and that's what I thought I had done.
Despite doctors' best efforts, Diana was declared dead at 4am local time, 3am in the UK, at Pitie-Salpetriere hospital in Paris.
Tens of thousands came to pay their respects to the princess at her home in Kensington Palace, mourning the loss of a woman many of whom had never met. This cemented her legacy and forced the royals to recognise that she had connected with people in ways many of them had never been able to before.
The Mirror
Princess Diana tragically died 28 years ago today, with her sudden death sending shockwaves around the world.
The princess was just 36 when she died following a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997, that also killed her companion Dodi Fayed and the vehicle's driver. The car had crashed into the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in the French capital, with emergency services flocking to the scene in the aftermath of the devastating crash.
One of those on the scene was firefighter Xavier Gourmelon, who had no idea who Diana was when he first saw her in the wrecked vehicle.
He didn't believe the 'blonde woman' in the back of the car was seriously injured as she had her eyes open, was conscious and talking.
Before she was taken out of the car, he held her hand and comforted her, telling her to stay calm. Diana then asked him: 'My God, what's happened?' Just moments later she suffered a cardiac arrest.
Mr Gourmelon previously told The Sun: 'I massaged her heart and a few seconds later she started breathing again. It was a relief of course because, as a first responder, you want to save lives — and that's what I thought I had done.
Despite doctors' best efforts, Diana was declared dead at 4am local time, 3am in the UK, at Pitie-Salpetriere hospital in Paris.
Tens of thousands came to pay their respects to the princess at her home in Kensington Palace, mourning the loss of a woman many of whom had never met. This cemented her legacy and forced the royals to recognise that she had connected with people in ways many of them had never been able to before.
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