Tragedy of woman who couldn’t cope with £Πm lottery win
A £500,000 lottery winner was killed on a train track after failing to find happiness despite her good luck.
Helen Ford, 54, was ‘unable to cope with being responsible for the money’, friends said.
The former ballet dancer, who was unmarried and suffered from bipolar disorder, walked on to railway tracks into the path of a commuter train.
Her death in January came 12 years after a hat-trick of wins on National Lottery scratchcards in one day. She scooped £45 on her first scratchcard, £500,000 on the next and £50 on a third.
She bought a seaside flat and her spending included a holiday to the Seychelles and a new Fiat Punto. She also donated thousands to Gamblers Anonymous, having been a member herself.
But weeks after her win in 2003 Miss Ford, of Penarth, South Wales, spoke about the mental health problems she was diagnosed with aged 25.
She said: ‘People seem to think I should be happy all the time because of the lottery.
‘ But money doesn’t buy you health and happiness. Money isn’t what’s important in life and people should remember that.’
Her sister, Rebekah Donovan, said: ‘The worst thing to have happened to her was to win that money. Helen was a character, she loved people and they loved her.’
Tracey Alexander, who grew up with Miss Ford, said after her death: ‘She was unable to cope with being responsible for the money. It didn’t do much good for her.’
Younger brother Simon Ford described her as a ‘warm, kindhearted woman who thrived on the company of her many friends’. After her win Miss Ford – who dreamed of being an actress and had a walk-on part in Casualty – revealed in an interview that she had previously attempted suicide.
Yesterday an inquest heard she walked on to the track at Dingle Road Station near her home at 5.45am on January 21. She was hit by a train and suffered ‘multiple severe injuries’.
Cardiff Coroner’s Court was told Miss Ford suffered from bipolar disorder which led her to experience feelings of ‘loneliness and despair’.
Dr Martyn Davies, a psychiatrist at Penarth Community Mental Health Team, said she frequently took overdoses as a ‘cry for help’, but would quickly return to her ‘normal happy and smiling self’.
Assistant coroner Thomas Atherton said: ‘I am not satisfied there is enough evidence to return a verdict that Helen Ford took her own life. Helen died as a consequence of being hit by a train – her intentions at the time were not clear.’
For confidential support, call the Samaritans on 08457 909090, visit a local Samaritans branch or go to www.samaritans.org
‘Doesn’t buy you happiness’