N Martin - Baddam

received his book today, with many photos etc but only just glanced through it. Noel Martin is on telly tonight over here, but I might be asleep by then so will tape it and report later ....
 
I managed to miss the telly programm, but there is a big article and interview with Noel Martin in one of our leading weekly magazines today; very moving. He talks about Baddam and how proud he was to beat the aristrocrats in their own home garden, and what an historical achievement it was by Baddam. But it hasn´t really helped him, and ever since his wife died he is lonely and can´t wait to be back with her - in fact his wife is buried in their garden. He said he will not be able to die on the 23rd of july as he lost some time with his arrangements due to some wounds on his back getting infected. He is satisfied with what he achieved in life and there really is no unfinished business for him on earth anymore - he said he is not bothered by some stupid neo-nazis who call him a caward in the internet (its unbelieveable how some peolpe tick!) and his last sort of dream would be Baddam being able to win again in Royal Ascot on the 21st of june. He said to the journalist:
"Perhaps, it would be nice, Baddam will win on the 21st of june. Back him, he is good and will carry the jamaican colours past all the aristrocrats, and then donate all your winnings to my foundation. And soon after I will travel to Swizerland, and have the poison. I will listen to Bob Marley and the last song will be Frank Sinatra " I did it my way ". I will die at one with the world "
 
So desperately sad. :( I had a Thank You card from Noel last week after I sent him and Mick Channon some of the photos I had taken of Baddam at Ascot.

Noel comes across as such a strong personality, very funny, knowledgeable about horses but desperately frustrated at the physical situation he has been left in. It is also clear how much he desperately misses his late wife. I also got the impression he felt guilty about having to have so many people to help him just to carry out basic functions, like getting out of bed in the morning which takes hours and that is when he is well enough. He is continually ridden with bed sores and can't even have a drag on a cigarette, have a sip of wateror scratch an itch without assistance. With Noel having been a very independant and physically fit person, I cannot even begin to imagine how frustrating this must be for him.

I still hope he changes his mind about ending it all in Switzerland and I also hope that Baddam runs a big race for him on the 21st June.
 
The original date of his planned death, 23rd July will be his 48th Birthday. Evidently one of his last pledges to his wife who died of cancer was that he would end his life after 8 years. That was 11 years ago.

I haven't seen where you can purchase the book in English yet, any ideas Cat? Noel did tell me earlier in May that the book was being translated into English but that he was still looking for a publisher.
 
nothing said about the book in english, but the book is geeting a positive press over here, and people in the village where it happend have formed a foundation too, there is a stone as a permanent reminder etc., its not that all germans are stupid racial discriminating (sorry, lost for correct word at moment)

there are many photos in the book of Noel as a younger man, he was a proper Bob Marley and lived his life accordingly. He comes from a really poor family and whatever he achieved in life he did it with his own hands and his very hard work.

In a way it is a terrible thought for us to think he is planning his death, as I guess every "normal" healthy person is afraid of death to a certain extend. But all that does make our life worth living will forever be eluded to him, well, what can we say.

I too hope that Baddam will do so well for him in Ascot. You and Uncle Goober must report with photos !!!!
 
Noel Martin

Don't know if anyone has seen this in the RP

But how sad & Shocking :(

Baddam is still racing


THE owner of Baddam, the stayer who won twice at Royal Ascot in 2006 when trained by Mick Channon, will feature in a Channel 4 documentary later this week.

Noël Martin, a Jamaican Briton, was left a quadriplegic following a racial attack by neo-Nazis in East Germany 13 years ago.

In the programme, The FinishingLine, to be screened on Friday at 7.35pm, Martin tells of his deep frustration at being unable to pat Baddam after the gelding's triumph in the Ascot Stakes and, four days later, the successful follow up in the Queen Alexandra Stakes.

He was the first horse to complete the double since Mountain Cross in 1978.

Martin says that Baddam is the love of his life following the death of his wife due to cancer. He also discusses his decision to approach an assisted suicide clinic in Switzerland, feeling that it "is time to die with dignity".
 
Racism or any discrimination for that matter, whether for religion or race, is the worst thing known to man.
 
walsworth; I wonder if the influx of Eastern Europeans is fuelling some of the racial discord here now?[/QUOTE said:
Sadly, it seems you may be right about that, as the increases in both areas appear to be simultaneous.
Click to expand...
 
noel martin had a book released about 2 years ago over here in Germany, and we dicussed it in length here on talking horse. this is a horrible topic and I am not sure whether I would find the correct words in german, let along english, but he did say this then (that he is to commit suicide in switzerland) and one or two german newspapers ran a big story about it; the town where it happend officially apologized and had some sort of reminder against racism in his name and invited him over etc ect, it certainly is very hard to do the right thing and nobody can give him his health back. he had a date set for the clinic and the paper came back to him after this date passed, and he dismissed it all then. I guess nobody who isnt in his situation can ever understand whats he been through and has to endure in daily life, but its a "funny" way of coping, and very hard for outsiders to understand, I feel.
 
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He had a lot of publicity in the press two or three years ago (around the time his book came out) when he declared he was going to go to Switzerland to die on a specific date, which came and went. Crazyhorse is right, the topic was discussed at length then, put Noel Martin into the search facility and you should find it.
 
I dare say it was discussed at the time but the reason for posting now was to draw attention to the doc on channel four this friday
 
People are telling you it was discussed before as your opening post insinuated that your news about Martin's condition was recent and that not many people knew about it, that is all. I can find the thread for you if you like.
 
When he announced he'd probably seek assisted euthanasia (when he was in a bad state of depression), one of the skinhead groups (it was in Germany, but it could just as easily be anywhere else) said "Good, one more black corpse". It's hard for most of us with white skins to understand how this sort of irrationality exists, but it does, and in some numbers, too.
 
Yes, it was, but he can still stick two fingers up to the shite who crippled him. Didn't realise how totally tragic his life had been - just three years after being paralysed, his wife Jacqueline died (hence JACQUELINE QUEST). No wonder he's wanted to kill himself, and quite possibly still will go for that option. Lovely to see the filly nuzzle him - a little kiss from Jacqueline, I've no doubt he thought.
 
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