Family of Race Across The World's Sam Gardiner ‘overwhelmed' by support
A JustGiving page launched in his memory by his family, in aid of National FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder), has so far raised more than £10,000.
His mother said: 'We have been overwhelmed by the tens of thousands of messages of love and support on social media and in comments to press reporting.
'We would like to thank the BBC, Studio Lambert and everyone at Race Across The World production, fellow contestants and fans of the show for all their support at this terrible time. It has been very comforting to know that Sam touched so many people.
pic.twitter.com/WfBd8T2suh
— Race Across The World (@RATW_official) June 1, 2025
'I have been particularly moved by all the messages that Sam was an inspiration to many who have been impacted by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.
'We adopted Sam and he was diagnosed with FASD. As viewers of season two will recall, this was a big challenge both for Sam and for us as his parents.
'National FASD helped us on that journey. If some good comes of this tragedy, it will be that FASD is better understood.'
Mr Gardiner was driving a white Volkswagen Golf R estate when it came off the road and rolled before landing on its side.
The accident happened on the A34 in Gatley, near Cheadle, on Monday May 26 and he died on May 29 from his injuries, his family said last week.
Broadcast in March 2020, Sam and Jo ventured across Mexico and Argentina as part of the second series of the BBC show.
Mr Gardiner's father Andrew said: 'When the news broke last week, friends asked how they could help.
A post shared by NationalFASD (@nationalfasd)
'After some thought, I decided to set up a JustGiving page to raise money for National FASD in memory of Sam. The page is called Sam Gardiner; Super Human.
'I set the target at £500 thinking a few friends might be generous enough to make a donation. So far it's raised 20 times that. It's very humbling to see the RATW family rally to this worthy cause.'
The National Organisation for FASD says on its official website that it 'provides support to people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, their families and communities, campaigns to raise public awareness, and promotes relevant policies and practices'.
The website also describes FASD as resulting 'when prenatal alcohol exposure affects the developing brain and body..
It says: 'FASD is a spectrum. Each person with FASD is affected differently.
'While more than 400 conditions can co-occur, FASD is at its core a lifelong neurodevelopmental condition. All people with FASD have many strengths. Early diagnosis and appropriate support are essential, especially for executive functioning.'
A message on the official National FASD Instagram account said: 'Sam lived his life full of love, exuberance and adventure as seen on BBC's Race Across the World. 'National FASD is both humbled and honoured to help carry on his legacy via donations coming from hundreds.'
A private funeral will be held later this month.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
Trinny Woodall: There was nothing I could have done about ex-husband's suicide
On Fearne Cotton's Happy Place podcast, the 61-year-old reflected on the former drummer and businessman's death in 2014, and praised the work of charities looking into mental health and suicide. Asked about her regrets by Cotton, Woodall said: 'I think going back to earlier, it's that would've, should've, could've – so do I regret that I didn't do more for my ex-husband to stop him killing himself? No, because it was nothing I could have done. 'So to ponder on the regret of somebody who kills himself, it can take you into the darkest hole, but you can also know when somebody who is in that situation switches off, and that is their path and nobody can get in. 'I had to learn.' Woodall said there are 'fabulous charities' working in the area of mental health and suicide – which she said is the biggest cause of death in men under 50. She went on to speak about how she guided daughter Lyla, who was 11 at the time, through Elichaoff's death. She explained: 'When I heard about Lyla's dad, Lyla was at school and my first challenge was how can I even tell her, how can I say the words to tell her. 'My sister was a friend of a woman called Julia Samuel, who wrote an amazing book, Grief Works, and she's fantastic. 'Julia came around to our house and I just said, 'I need some words', and so she said, 'you're going to tell her he had a heart attack in his head'.'We told her (Lyla) and she screamed really loudly and it was like an animal scream, and then 20 minutes later she's downstairs getting a snack, so children's absorption of what has happened is that there's that gut, she really loved her dad. 'This thing is just, she can't quite understand it, but she knows that he's not coming back in some daily way and then we had a cremation so then there's a real awareness. 'There's a lot of people saying, 'I'm so sorry about your dad, Lyla', so she's manic a little, she was running around with her friends and then there was a memorial only 10 days after that, and there were 1,200 people in the church. 'Lyla got up and read If, but she didn't read it, she said it with nothing and didn't cry and it wasn't that she was being strong.' The beauty entrepreneur was also asked if she regrets taking drugs for a decade. She added: 'I actually don't, because it gave me such a depth of having to deal with life at an early age, some testing things that it rounded me up more as a person. 'When I got into my 30s, I had a lot of experience to draw on to be resilient, so thereby I don't regret that it happened and I should draw upon it.' Best known for hosting BBC fashion show What Not To Wear with Susannah Constantine, Woodall is also the founder of cosmetics brand Trinny London. The full interview can be heard on the Happy Place podcast available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube and Spotify. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted for free at 116 123, or on email at jo@ or jo@
Leader Live
an hour ago
- Leader Live
Trinny Woodall: There was nothing I could have done about ex-husband's suicide
On Fearne Cotton's Happy Place podcast, the 61-year-old reflected on the former drummer and businessman's death in 2014, and praised the work of charities looking into mental health and suicide. Asked about her regrets by Cotton, Woodall said: 'I think going back to earlier, it's that would've, should've, could've – so do I regret that I didn't do more for my ex-husband to stop him killing himself? No, because it was nothing I could have done. 'So to ponder on the regret of somebody who kills himself, it can take you into the darkest hole, but you can also know when somebody who is in that situation switches off, and that is their path and nobody can get in. 'I had to learn.' Woodall said there are 'fabulous charities' working in the area of mental health and suicide – which she said is the biggest cause of death in men under 50. She went on to speak about how she guided daughter Lyla, who was 11 at the time, through Elichaoff's death. She explained: 'When I heard about Lyla's dad, Lyla was at school and my first challenge was how can I even tell her, how can I say the words to tell her. 'My sister was a friend of a woman called Julia Samuel, who wrote an amazing book, Grief Works, and she's fantastic. 'Julia came around to our house and I just said, 'I need some words', and so she said, 'you're going to tell her he had a heart attack in his head'.'We told her (Lyla) and she screamed really loudly and it was like an animal scream, and then 20 minutes later she's downstairs getting a snack, so children's absorption of what has happened is that there's that gut, she really loved her dad. 'This thing is just, she can't quite understand it, but she knows that he's not coming back in some daily way and then we had a cremation so then there's a real awareness. 'There's a lot of people saying, 'I'm so sorry about your dad, Lyla', so she's manic a little, she was running around with her friends and then there was a memorial only 10 days after that, and there were 1,200 people in the church. 'Lyla got up and read If, but she didn't read it, she said it with nothing and didn't cry and it wasn't that she was being strong.' The beauty entrepreneur was also asked if she regrets taking drugs for a decade. She added: 'I actually don't, because it gave me such a depth of having to deal with life at an early age, some testing things that it rounded me up more as a person. 'When I got into my 30s, I had a lot of experience to draw on to be resilient, so thereby I don't regret that it happened and I should draw upon it.' Best known for hosting BBC fashion show What Not To Wear with Susannah Constantine, Woodall is also the founder of cosmetics brand Trinny London. The full interview can be heard on the Happy Place podcast available on Apple Podcasts, YouTube and Spotify. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted for free at 116 123, or on email at jo@ or jo@
Scottish Sun
2 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Trinny Woodall opens up about ex-husband's suicide and says there's nothing I could have done'
He jumped 50ft to his death after taking a 'potentially fatal' amount of painkiller 'DARKEST HOLE' Trinny Woodall opens up about ex-husband's suicide and says there's nothing I could have done' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) TELLY fashion guru Trinny Woodall has said there is 'nothing I could have done' to stop her ex-husband's suicide. Trinny, 61, co-host with Susannah Constantine of BBC show What Not To Wear, lost Johnny Elichaoff, 55, in 2014 — five years after they split. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 3 Trinny Woodall has said there is 'nothing I could have done' to stop ex-husband Johnny Elichaoff's suicide Credit: Rex 3 Trinny lost Johnny Elichaoff, 55, in 2014 — five years after they split Credit: Getty - Contributor He jumped 50ft to his death after taking a 'potentially fatal' amount of painkiller. Trinny said: "I think going back to earlier, it's that would've, should've, could've - so do I regret that I didn't do more for my ex-husband to stop him killing himself? "No, because it was nothing I could have done. "To ponder on the regret of somebody who kills himself, it can take you into the darkest hole. 'But you can also know when somebody who is in that situation switches off, and that is their path and nobody can get in. 'I had to learn.' Mum Trinny also told Fearne Cotton's Happy Place that she also had no regrets about taking drugs for a decade. "I actually don't. "Because it gave me such a depth of having to deal with life at an early age. "Some testing things that it rounded me up more as a person. Trinny Woodall: The Evolution of a Beauty Icon 'When I got into my 30s, I had a lot of experience to draw on to be resilient. "So thereby I don't regret that it happened and I should draw upon it.' 3 Johnny jumped 50ft to his death after taking a 'potentially fatal' amount of painkiller Credit: Getty - Contributor
